“Green Development on the way to help Belt and Road realise goal”: Expert group from China and SL

The Pathfinder Foundation (PF) taking pioneering effort in contributing to the Sri Lankan discourse on Green Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) possibilities and challenges invited the National Academy of Development and Strategy of Renmin University, a world ranking university in China to conduct a joint round table conference in collaboration with the Post Graduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Peradeniya.

The expert group that took part in a roundtable discussion which was held at the Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Peradeniya,broadly held the opinion that the Green Development is on the way in helping BRI to realise its goal. The expert group representing different sectors and professionals from academic and research to policy and practice, and diverse disciplines, from engineering to economics, politics, international relations and environmental science, exchanged their views and shared their experiences during a daylong brainstorming session which concluded with a positive note on the future directions of the country’s development programs in general and the contribution of the Belt and Road Initiative to it in particular.

This discussion was initiated by the Pathfinder Foundation and its affiliate China-Sri Lanka Cooperation Studies Centre and was co-sponsored by the Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Peradeniya and the National Academy of Development and Strategy (NADS) of Renmin University. The visiting university delegation was led by Prof. Xu Qinhua, Deputy Dean of NADS and professor at School of International Studies, and its member included Prof. Shi Yinhong, State Council Counsellor of the Peoples’ Republic of China and Distinguished Professor in International Relations, Dr. Wang Ke, Associate Professor and Deputy Director of Belt and Road Research Center, Zhao Haotian,intern at Center for International Energy and Environment Strategy Studies.

On behalf of the Pathfinder Foundation its Executive Director Luxman Siriwardana and Associate Director of its China-Sri Lanka Cooperation Studies Center Dr. Zhao Ying participated. Representing Peradeniya University, Prof. O.G. Dayarathna Banda, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and several senior academics and researchers from Faculties of Arts and Engineering contributed to the forum. Other experts included Sumith Nakandala, Additional Secretary (bilateral relations) of the Ministry of External Affairs, Prof. Hemanthi Ranasinghe, Senior Professor in Forestry and Environmental Sciences of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, W.A.D.D. Wijesooriya, Team Leader/SEIA of the Colombo Port City Development Project, Dr. Sanjaya Rathnayake, Deputy Director General (Pollution Control) of the Central Environmental Authority. The Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences is in the process of compiling the outcome document of the roundtable which will be made available to the public, in both print and digital form, soon. This document will also consist of a Chinese version of each segment composed by Dr. Zhao Ying.