Pathfinder Foundation promotes relations with Leshan, China

Pathfinder Foundation Director Admiral Professor Jayanath Colombage, who was engaged in a tour of lecture at the Sichuan University, helped promoting closer relations between Pathfinder Foundation and the city of Leshan.

Leshan is where the world’s tallest sitting Buddha statue is situated, known as the Giant Buddha of Leshan, carved out of a rock in the eighth century and Mount Emei, one of the four important sacred Buddhist mountains in China, is situated. Leshan also hosts a large number of Buddhist monasteries, including Asia’s biggest Buddhist Monastery and the famous Ebony Cultural Museum.

His visit to Leshan, located at the confluence of the Dadu and Min rivers in Sichuan Province culminated with signing of a MoU with Professor Hu Dan, President of Leshan Normal University in Leshan, in his capacity as President of the ‘Trans-Himalaya Studies Centre’ which is expected to further academic, people to people and cultural relations between the two institutions as well as the city of Leshan, located in the Sichuan Province and Sri Lanka.

‘Trans-Himalaya Studies Centre’ was established by the Leshan Normal University, main focus of which is educating teachers for China and other friendly countries such as Belgium, Switzerland, Japan, Republic of Korea and Turkey. Prof. Dr. Dai Yonghong is the current Chair of the Centre, which focuses on studies relating to trans-Himalaya as well as the Bay of Bengal regions.

The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Professor Dr. Dai Yonghong, Director of ‘Trans-Himalaya Studies Centre’ and Vice President of Leshan Normal University Prof. Dr. Du Xueyuan, Deans and other faculty members. Shuai Li, Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Bureau of Leshan Municipal Government was also present at the signing ceremony.

During the visit to Leshan city, Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage also delivered a lecture titled ‘United States Strategy in the Indo-Pacific Oceans’ to the faculty and students of Leshan Normal University. Colombage spoke about the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean in the 21st century and major players in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Ocean and the impact of changing US strategy for the region. 

Colombage highlighted the fact that aspirations of China to be a ‘Great Power’ and the US rebalancing to Indo-Pacific should not lead to a strategic competition and increased militarisation of the region, which would put smaller, less powerful states in to a strategic dilemma.