Commissioned by the Ministry of Commerce of China, China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU) hosted the Seminar for Young Diplomats from the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka from Nov 24 to Dec 9, 2025.

The 30-member delegation was led by Somathilake Handun Pathirannehalage, director of Sri Lanka's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, and Wathsala Priyadarshani Konarathna Mudiyanselage, deputy director of the National Audit Office.

At the opening ceremony on Nov 24, chaired by Ma Xinyu, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of CFAU, Vice-President of CFAU Sun Jisheng welcomed the participants and expressed the hope the young diplomats would contribute to building a closer China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future. 

Speaking on behalf of the participants, Handun said they would cherish the opportunity to study in China and looked forward to further promoting friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between the two countries.

Participants in the seminar pose for a group photo.

During their stay in Beijing, CFAU organized 11 themed lectures. The participants attended a regular news briefing at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited a Xiaomi automobile factory and toured historical and cultural sites including the Great Wall and the Palace Museum.

The activities helped the diplomats gain an in-depth understanding of both ancient and modern China from multiple perspectives, including diplomacy, politics, science and technology, economy, culture and history.

The delegation visits the Xiaomi automobile factory in Beijing.

From Nov 30 to Dec 4, with the support of the Foreign Affairs Office of Shaanxi Province, the delegation visited Xi'an and Yan'an to learn about China's time-honored history and culture, the legacy of the Chinese revolutionary spirit and the achievements of Chinese modernization.

The delegation visits Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD.

At the closing ceremony on Dec 8, CFAU President Gao Fei presented certificates of completion to the participants.

Wathsala expressed appreciation for CFAU's thoughtful organization and warm hospitality and conveyed the participants' commitment to contributing to deeper China-Sri Lanka relations and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Participants of the seminar pose for a group photo at the closing ceremony.