Sri Lanka Ambassador-designate to China assumes duties

Ambassador-designate of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the People’s Republic of China Dr. Palitha T. B. Kohona formally assumed duties this week at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement yesterday. 

Prior to the assumption of duties by Dr. Kohona, a pirith chanting ceremony was conducted by the Buddhist Association of China Vice President Zong Xing Thero, along with four other venerable monks from the Guangji Temple in Beijing. The formal hoisting of the national flag and the lighting of the traditional oil lamp occurred immediately after this. 

Addressing the Embassy staff, including locally engaged staff, Dr. Kohona emphasised the need for all to engage proactively with the local authorities, as well as the Chinese community. He also said it was important to develop links with the business community. 

“Our objective should be to further enhance the image of Sri Lanka in China, strengthen the Sri Lanka-China bilateral relationship, and promote Sri Lanka as a welcome destination for foreign direct investments, and also encourage bilateral trade links. We should remember that China is the most lucrative market place in the world today. We should also work hard to encourage more Chinese travellers to visit Sri Lanka. 

He also mentioned that China presented a vast opportunity to Sri Lanka, given its surging economy and astounding advancements in science, technology and agriculture. 

The event concluded with the monks being treated to Sri Lankan delicacies.

Dr. Palitha Kohona was the former Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations (UN) from 2009 to 2015. Until August 2009, he was the Permanent Secretary to the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka and was also the former Secretary-General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process. He was previously the Head of the UN Treaty Section in New York, the largest arm of the UN Office of Legal Affairs, till 2006.

Ambassador Dr. Kohona received his secondary education in Sri Lanka at S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia. He obtained an LLB (Hons.) at the University of Sri Lanka, an LLM from the Australian National University in International Trade Law, and a Doctorate from Cambridge University, UK. 

Dr. Kohona arrived in China on 15 December 2020 and assumed duties virtually, and underwent 14 days mandatory quarantine.