The Pathfinder Foundation

Milinda Moragoda, founder of the Pathfinder Foundation, met with Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenghong to discuss bilateral relations between the People’s Republic of China and Sri Lanka.

The luncheon discussion covered various subjects on relations between the two countries in the context of the Pathfinder China-Sri Lanka Cooperation Studies Centre (CSLCSC), inaugurated in 2015, which saw numerous Chinese Think Tanks and academic institutions focusing on the South Asian region.  One of the areas of interest was to host Chinese academics and subject specialists focusing on China-Sri Lanka relations at the CSLCSC for extended periods as it had done before the COVID-19 pandemic.  Another area was to examine the possibilities of translating historical Chinese books covering China–Sri Lanka relations in all aspects.  The Foundation made a significant contribution in 2020 by translating a Chinese publication on ‘Prevention and Control of Covid-19’, authored by Professor Wenhong Zhang, into Sinhala and Tamil languages for distribution among the public free of charge.

The visit to the Chinese Embassy was part of the Pathfinder Foundation’s ongoing engagement with China.  Both countries have enjoyed an uninterrupted close relationship since historical times, particularly in the modern period.  The Chinese Ambassador visited ‘River Point’ in October 2024, where the Foundation functions.  Since then, several Chinese delegations have visited the Pathfinder Foundation to exchange views on the bilateral relationship between the two countries, the last being a delegation from the Academy of Military Sciences (AMS) representing the Institute of Military Legal Systems Studies (IMLSS) based in Beijing.

Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman of the Pathfinder Foundation and Jin Enze from the Embassy participated in the discussion.