Sun Chunlan, president of the International Confucian Association (ICA), called for deeper civilizational dialogue and enhanced cooperation in the global development of Sinology during the opening ceremony of the second South Asian Sinologists Conference and civilization dialogue between Chinese and Sri Lankan scholars held in Colombo on June 12.
The event took place at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Convention Hall, and was guided academically by the ICA and organized by the World Sinology Center, the University of Kelaniya, and the Sri Lanka–China Friendship Association.
Prasad Wijesuriya, general secretary of the Sri Lanka-China Friendship Association, presided over the opening ceremony.
In her keynote speech, Sun extended congratulations on the convening of the event in conjunction with the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, emphasizing that injecting vitality into millennia-old civilizational interactions and writing a new chapter in building a China-South Asia community with a shared future remains a historic task for advancing relations between China and South Asian countries. She highlighted the conference theme — “Deepening Cultural Exchange and Building a Shared Community of Sinology” — as both a timely response to global calls for civilizational dialogue and a reflection of the shared vision between China and South Asian countries to jointly build a community with a shared future. She noted that in recent years, South Asian Sinologists have creatively integrated Confucian thought with local cultures, enriching the global understanding of China and bringing fresh perspectives and academic vitality to the worldwide development of Sinology.
She emphasized that the meaning of civilizational dialogue and people-to-people exchanges lies in enhancing mutual understanding, promoting friendships, improving people's livelihoods, and contributing to regional development. In the face of global uncertainties, the ICA remains committed to working with all partners to advance Sinology research and civilizational dialogue across South Asia, contributing to the building of a China–South Asia community with a shared future, she added.
She also proposed expanding academic collaboration, cultivating young Sinology scholars, and promoting impactful research outcomes. She also suggested institutionalizing dialogue mechanisms such as “Sinology +,” turning them into regular, high-level platforms for scholarly exchange across South Asia and beyond. Deeper engagement between Chinese and South Asian civilizations, she added, can help distill shared values and provide enduring intellectual resources for regional progress.
At the opening ceremony, remarks were delivered by Chandana Abayarathna, minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government of Sri Lanka; Madura Seneviratne, deputy minister of Education and Higher Education; Qi Zhenhong, Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka; Duan Peng, president of Beijing Language and Culture University; Zhao Gang, vice-president of Beijing Foreign Studies University; and Sudath R.D. Kalingamudali, dean of the Faculty of Science of the University of Kelaniya and representative of the university president. The speakers agreed that fostering civilizational dialogue amid global challenges is essential for building consensus, promoting understanding, and enhancing cooperation. They called for the active implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative, the mutual flourishing of diverse civilizations through exchanges, and win-win outcomes through cooperation. The speakers also advocated for strengthening regional Sinology networks and promoting international cultural exchange for the benefit of all peoples.
Two special events were also held at the opening ceremony: the official launch of the Sri Lanka Sinologists Council under the World Sinology Center, and the release of the trilingual edition (Chinese, Sinhala, English) of the new book Parliamentary Debates on the China–Sri Lanka "Rubber-Rice Pact". The Rubber-Rice Pact, in which China and Sri Lanka traded rice for rubber, remains a historic symbol of early bilateral friendship. The publication was supported by the ICA.
The three-day conference attracted more than 200 participants, including leading Sinologists from China, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Bhutan, alongside political figures, university teachers and students, and media representatives from Sri Lanka.
