A six-member delegation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) led by Prof. Wei Yuansong, Deputy Director of CAS-TWAS Centre of Excellence for Water and Environment (CEWE), Director of the Laboratory of Water Pollution Control Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences (RCEES), CAS, visited the Embassy of China in Sri Lanka, as well as the Ministry of Water Supply (MWS), Ministry of Health (MOH), University of Peradeniya (UOP), and the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka (NSF) during their visit to Sri Lanka from December 10 to 21, reaching a series of consensus based on full exchange with all parties on the cooperation priorities for 2023.

On December 13, Mr. Luo Chong, Chief of the Political Section of the Embassy of China in Sri Lanka, received the delegation and listened to the report by Prof. Wei Yuansong on China-Sri Lanka cooperation in science and technology. He spoke highly of the fruitful work done by CAS on the construction of China-Sri Lanka Joint Research and Demonstration Center for Water Technology (JRDC), and suggested pushing the cooperation to a higher level by actively seeking resources in many aspects.

Afterwards, the delegation exchanged views with Mr. N.B. Monty Ranatunge, Secretary, and Ms. N.M.M. Marickkar, Additional Secretary, at MWS of Sri Lanka, focusing on the tripartite agreement (TPA), groundwater treatment technology demonstration, and joint venture for electrodialysis reversal (EDR) equipment, and made clear cooperation in 2023 to promote the sustainable development of JRDC and carry on with the memorandum of cooperation (MOU) between the two sides. In the following visit to MOH of Sri Lanka, Mr. S. Janaka Sri Chandraguptha, an old friend who has visited RCEES for many times, played host to the Chinese delegation. This is the first time for him to receive Chinese delegation since he was appointed as Secretary. The two sides conducted thorough exchanges on the progress in the traceability of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) and decided to continue the medical personnel training in the future.

Group photo of the delegation and Mr. N.B. Monty Ranatunge, Secretary of the Ministry of Water Supply of Sri Lanka 

Prof. Wei Yuansong and Mr. S. Janaka Sri Chandraguptha, Secretary of the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka

On December 19, the Chancellor of UOP, Prof. M.D. Lamawansa, and the Executive Vice Chancellor, Prof. W.M.T. Madhujith, met with the delegation at the Chancellor's residence. In the first face-to-face meeting, the new UOP leadership and the CAS delegation gave high evaluation of the past cooperation and decided to step up cooperation on postgraduate training, visiting scholars, project cooperation, and JRDC operation. The delegation also paid a visit to the former UOP Chancellor Prof. Upul B. Dissanayake, showing great appreciation of his full support and assistance to China-Sri Lanka cooperation during his tenure.

Group photo of the delegation and the UOP Chancellor Prof. M.D. Lamawansa 

Group photo of the delegation and the former UOP Chancellor Prof. Upul B. Dissanayake 

In addition, the delegation discussed the work progress on JRDC and the action plan for 2023 with NSF Chairman Prof. Ranjith Senaratne and NSF Director General Prof. S.R.S.N. Sudasinghe; Prof. Saluka R. Kodituwakku, Director of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS) of Sri Lanka; Mr. Nishantha Ranatunga, Chairman of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) and Mr. Eng. Thilina S. Wijetunga, General Manager of NWSDB; and Mr. P. Padula Sri Rohana De Silva, President of Sri Lanka Administrative Services Association (SASA). Apart from that, the delegation co-hosted two international conferences and organized special sessions, i.e., the International Water Conference (IWC 2022) at the Centre of Excellence for Water and Sanitation (CeWas) in Colombo on December 14–16, 2022, and the 13th International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment (ICSBE 2022) in Kandy on December 16–18.

Other members of the delegation included Mr. Zhang Jing, Vice President of the Institute of Architectural Design and Research (ADCAS), Dr. Zhao Lei of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics (IGG), Dr. Zheng Meng and Dr. Lu Dongzhu of the Institute of Oceanography at Qingdao (QDIO), and Dr. Wang Yawei of RCEES. Despite the tight schedule and arduous mission, the first CAS delegation to Sri Lanka since the outbreak of COVID-19 has overcome difficulties to successfully complete the tasks and achieve the desired results, laying a sound foundation for comprehensively advancing China-Sri Lanka cooperation on science and technology in 2023.

Group photo of the delegation and NSF Chairman Prof. Ranjith Senaratne

Prof. Wei Yuansong and NIFS Director Prof. Saluka R. Kodituwakku

Group photo of the delegation and NWSDB Chairman Mr. Nishantha Ranatunga, and NWSDB General Manager Mr. Eng. Thilina S. Wijetunga 

Group photo of the delegation and SASA President Mr. P. Padula Sri Rohana De Silva

China-Sri Lanka Joint Research and Demonstration Center for Water Technology 

CAS-TWAS Centre of Excellence in Water and Environment

International Cooperation Office, RCEES, CAS