Pathfinder Foundation and China’s CICIR continue bilateral cooperation dialogue

Thursday, 11 April 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Two sides discussed the possibility of setting up a joint China-Sri Lanka Study Group to take the economic, investment and trade relationship between the two countries to the next level

Vice President Dr. Fu Mengzi, Pathfinder Chairman Bernard Goonetilleke and both team members at the Pathfinder Foundation Office at Riverpoint

A senior delegation from the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) led by Dr. Fu Mengzi, Vice President, visited the Pathfinder Foundation Office at ‘Riverpoint’ Monday (8 April) to continue the bilateral cooperation dialogue between the two institutions.

Pathfinder Foundation Founder Milinda Moragoda with Dr. Fu Mengzi (Vice President and Research Professor and Doctoral Advisor – CICIR)

Pathfinder Foundation Founder Milinda Moragoda with Dr. Fu Mengzi (Vice President and Research Professor and Doctoral Advisor – CICIR) exchange gifts

Pathfinder Foundation Founder Milinda Moragoda with Dr. Fu Mengzi (Vice President and Research Professor and Doctoral Advisor – CICIR), end of the discussions

The CICIR is a leading policy research institute in China and consists of 11 institutes and two research divisions employing over 400 staff including 150 professors. The visit took place as a part of the framework set out in the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed between the two organisations in April 2016. The delegation met with Pathfinder Foundation Founder Milinda Moragoda and other senior officials to discuss the future work program that will seek to build on the success of the Pathfinder/CICIR joint publication. ‘The Island of the Lion and the Land of the Dragon’ was published last year to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka.

In addition, the two sides discussed the possibility of setting up a joint China-Sri Lanka Study Group to identify critical success factors that would have to be put into place to take the economic, investment and trade relationship between the two countries to the next level.

The CICIR delegation consisted of: Dr. Fu Mengzi, (Vice President and Research Professor and Doctoral Advisor – CICIR), Dr. Hu Shisheng (Director of the Institute for South Asian Studies), Xu Xiaotian, (Director of the Institute for Maritime Security Studies) Dr. Guo Chunmei, (Associate Research Professor), Zhang Xinbo (Assistant Professor), and Wang Se (Assistant Professor).

The Pathfinder Foundation delegation consisted of: Bernard Goonetilleke – Chairman, Lalith Weeratunga (Senior Fellow), Admiral Dr. Jayanath Colombage (Director of the Center for Indo-Lanka relations of the PF), Luxman Siriwardena (Executive Director PF and Director, China Sri Lanka Cooperation Studies Centre).