Sri Lanka and China have discussed a set of religious and cultural exchange programmes, including scholarships for Sri Lankan students to study Buddhism in China and a film exchange between the two countries.
The proposals came out of a meeting on Thursday between Wei Huaxiang, China’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, and Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, held at the ministry.
What was discussed
NewsFirst reported three proposals:
- a film exchange programme, giving audiences in each country access to the other’s cinema
- scholarships for Sri Lankan students to pursue Buddhist studies in China
- translation and exchange of literary works between the two countries
Officials framed the talks against what the report described as centuries-old historical and cultural links, with the stated aim of producing benefits for students, artists, academics and cultural institutions on both sides.
What is not yet settled
The account describes proposals explored at a meeting, not agreements concluded. No numbers were given for the scholarships, no institutions were named on either side, and no timeline, funding arrangement or signing date was reported. Nothing indicates a memorandum was signed.
Buddhist exchange is well-established diplomatic ground between the two countries, and the Buddha Sasana portfolio is a recurring venue for it. Ambassador Wei has held a series of meetings across Sri Lankan institutions in recent months on separate tracks, including defence and media cooperation.
The meeting falls in a week of active China–Sri Lanka engagement: the Department of Commerce also signed a trade memorandum with China’s Yunnan Province on Friday.
This report rests on a single verified newsroom. No other verified outlet had filed on the meeting at the time of writing.
