To promote the cooperation between China and Sri Lanka on safe water supply, a 9-member delegation led by Mr. N.D Hettiarachi, the Acting Secretary of Ministry of City Planning and Water Supply (MCPWS) visited China over the period of Feb 23-27 at the invitation of RCEES. Chairperson of National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, Prof. Sirimalie Fernando, also joined the delegation. The Sri Lanka delegation paid visits to the Headquarter of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Commerce of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Export-Import Bank of China, etc. On February 24, the delegation visited RCEES, and attended the Workshop on Collaboration in Tackling the Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka.

Chinese Representatives from Beijing Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), Peking University First Hospital, and several CAS Institutes participated in the workshop. The two sides reviewed the progress in implementing the MOU between CAS and MCPWS on CKDu, and exchanged ideas on exploring the root causes of CKDu. They also have had a deep discussion on the action plan for the future cooperation.

The cooperation between CAS and MCPWS has progressed quickly since the heads of both sides signed the MOU in the witness of the heads of both countries on March 27, 2015. A big Chinese delegation will visit Sri Lanka in mid-March to attend a CKDu workshop sponsored by RCEES.

CAS-TWAS Centre of Excellence for Water and Environment
February 26, 2016