The Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, together with district governments has from the year of 2017 started hosting the "FAO Int'l Cooperation Promotion Series" to further enhance exchange and cooperation between Shanghai and places around the world. The first event was themed "Internationalized Shanghai: Heritage and Innovation on the Yangpu Waterfront" and took place in the Shanghai Fashion Center along the Yangshupu riverside.

Consul General of Sri Lanka in Shanghai Lakshitha Ratnayake

"In the last three years, the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Sri Lanka has increased by more than 300%."

"The Sri Lankan government has allocated a special piece of land for Chinese investors. It is free of charge."

The textile industry and education are two potential areas for cooperation between China and Sri Lanka in Yangpu District.

Sri Lanka, rich in black tea and jewels is a South-Asian island country on the Indian Ocean. It means "land of happiness" or "promising and prosperous land" in Sinhala, the official language of the country. Sri Lanka is one of the important countries on the Maritime Silk Road.

The Consul General of Sri Lanka in Shanghai, Lakshitha Ratnayake was interviewed by Eastday.com during this promotional event held in Yangpu District on March 22, 2017. He talked about the present situation relating to cooperation between China and Sri Lanka in the areas of investment and trade, tourism and the Maritime Silk Road. He also offered his views on future prospects for cooperation.

"In the last three years, the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Sri Lanka has increased by more than 300%", stated Mr. Ratnayake. He also said that Sri Lanka has something unique to offer holidaymakers, like its beaches, wildlife, historical sites, tea culture and jewelry industry, which all appeal to Chinese people. He added that it is convenient for tourists as there are 7 flights a week from Shanghai to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.

Yangpu Waterfront (Photo by Zhu Liangcheng)

As one of the important countries on the Maritime Silk Road, Sri Lanka attaches much importance to exchanges and cooperation between the two countries on the "One Belt and One Road" Initiative. The Consul General noted that Sri Lanka is located on the main sea route, so cargo can be easily transported to India, Pakistan, the Middle East, East Asia, the United States and other parts of the world. Besides natural ports, Sri Lanka has two big commercial ports in Colombo and Hambantota, which closely connect the two countries.

"The Sri Lankan government allocated a special piece of land for Chinese investors. It is free of charge", the Consul General said that Shanghai and the regions along the Yangtze River Delta have strong economic strength; Sri Lanka really expects more Chinese investment in the country and more cooperation with China in the field of international trade.

Consul General of Sri Lanka in Shanghai Lakshitha Ratnayake posed for photos at the promotional event in Yangpu District. (Photo by the Consul General of Sri Lanka in Shanghai)

It is known that Sri Lanka currently has no projects in Yangpu District. However, the Consul General viewed that textile and education industries are two potential areas for cooperation between the two nations. A number of colleges are located in the district, like Fudan University, Tongji University and University of Shanghai for Science and Technology. He pointed out that a lot of Sri Lanka students are studying here, which not only promotes the bilateral relationship but also helps future economic development.

Mr. Ling Xiang from the European and American Affairs’ Division of Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (SPAFFC) also contributed to the article