BRI Roundtable Series: China-Sri Lanka Strategic Dialogue on BRI Green Development

On July 27th, 2018, China-Sri Lanka Strategic Dialogue on BRI Green Development was jointly held by National Academy of Development and Strategy (NADS) of Renmin University of China (RUC), Pathfinder Foundation, and University of Peradeniya at its Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (PGIHS).

Sri Lanka is a key to China’s Belt and Road Initiatives with its long history of trade with China and unique geographical position in the Indian Ocean. China topped the foreign direct investment of Sri Lanka in 2017, and the BRI will further enhance the two countries’ strategic cooperative partnership. At the Roundtable, experts from the two sides analyzed the opportunities and challenges of bilateral cooperation in BRI Initiatives, aiming to identify the cooperation priorities through discussion about how to better implement the BRI program in South Asia and the importance of make BRI green.

Attending members are from the RUC side, Shi Yinhong, State Counsellor and Professor at School of International Studies, Xu Qinhua, Vice-president of NADS and Professor at School of International Studies, Wang Ke, Deputy Director of NADS “BRI” Research Center and Professor at School of Environment & Natural Resources. Experts from the Sri Lanka side are O.G.Dayaratne Banda, President of PGIHS, Luxman Siriwardhana, Executive Director of Pathfinder Foundation, Zhao Ying, Deputy Director of the Foundation’s China-Sri Lanka Cooperation Research Center, Sumith Nakandala, Secretary of Foreign Ministry, W.A.D.D. Wijesooriya, Head of Colombo Port City Development Program, Sanjaya Rathnayake, Deputy Director of Pollution Control at Central Environmental Authority, and Hemanthi Ranasinghe, Professor at School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, University of Kelaniya.

The roundtable discussion mainly focused on three parts: the concept and policy of BRI, the opportunities, challenges and interests for BRI participant nations, and environmental concerns.

Upul Disanayake, Vice President of the University of Peradeniya, expressed in his speech that Sri Lanka believed China has become the key role in global affairs. It would like to strengthen the cooperation with China, give full play to advantage of location and make contribution to BRI construction as a critical juncture in the BRI. He also hoped that Peradeniya can take this opportunity as a launching point, strengthen the cooperation with RUC within the people-to-people exchange mechanism between China and Sri Lanka, establish a mechanism for exchange visits between students and research fellows step by step, and conduct joint research and policy dialogue, jointly advancing the two countries’ cooperation under the framework of BRI green development.

Xu Qinhua, Deputy Dean of NADS, noted that as representative of co-organizer, as the national high-end think tank, with the support of RUC, NADS strives to become a new type of national think tank with Chinese characteristics and international influence, and serves for national development strategy and social progress. NADS RUC actively conducted cross-nation study on BRI and promote understanding and recognition from countries along the line to the BRI. On July 25th, NADS jointly held “China-UAE Strategic Dialogue” with Abu Dhabi Financial Service and supervision Bureau in Beijing, and On July 27th, “China-Sri Lank Strategic Dialogue” here in Sri Lanka. NADS hoped that through a series of BRI Roundtables, NADS will reach out to the universities and think tanks in countries along the BRI, facilitating international cooperation and enhancing harmony of academic circle.

Shi Yinhong, Professor at School of International Studies, stressed in his speech “Prospects for China-Sri Lanka Strategic Partnership” that BRI has the important implications for China extending and deepening the engagement in global politics and economy and global governance. He pointed out that China fully understands the innate sensibility of building infrastructure facilities on the land of other countries. Therefore, to make sure BRI cooperation projects are sustainable and profitable, China will from the heart value more what each and every participant country need rather than what China thought they should.

Wang Ke, research fellow of NADS, focused on the green development of BRI. Threatened by climate changes like flood, drought, tornado, rising sea level, Sri Lanka raised requirement of capital, technical and capability building cooperation in its NDC to UN. As China is gradually moving toward a path of creative green development at home, many lessons and experiences in sustainable development could be shared with Sri Lanka through BRI cooperation. Together, the two countries can realize a low-emission, more efficient, and cleaner development.

Sisira Pinnawala, Professor at PGIHS, delivered a speech of “BRI Outlook: Changing Energy Dynamics, Geopolitics and Green Development”. Traditional fossil energy supply is dominated by the Unites States and several western countries, meanwhile, the developing countries are more subject to the fluctuation of oil price. Since such issues as climate change and energy security of the developing countries are not duly recognized and addressed, China who has made great technical progress in renewable energy could be their chance. Sri Lanka could cooperate with China in BRI to drive forward the green energy structure transformation.

O.G.Dayaratne Banda, President of PGIHS, expressed that Sri Lanka is seeking for a technical approach to sustain its economic growth rate while facing the pressure of slow per capita GDP growth. Being one of the major harbors along the Maritime Silk Road, Sri Lanka will have a broader and brighter economic prospect with more investment and technical supports coming from China, particularly in photovoltaic sector. Nevertheless, potential environmental problems might be incurred by BRI investment, and the two sides shall work on it together to balance the economic growth and sustainable development.

Hemanthi Ranasinghe, Professor at School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, University of Kelaniya, Charitha Herath, Doctor and former Head of Environment Authority, and Shameen Jinadasa, Professor at School of Engineering, shared their views on Sri Lanka environmental policies and regulations, academic reviews, and practices. Zhao Ying, Deputy Director of the Foundation’s China-Sri Lanka Cooperation Research Center, introduced Chinese efforts made in recent years regarding overseas investment environmental standards and guidelines.

After the roundtable, NADS delegation paid a field visit to two Chinese-invested projects at Colombo port and Hambantota port for better analyzing the actual situation and problems. Local society and media are very interested in this Roundtable discussion. The outcomes and field survey made during this visit will be used to support the completion of Sri Lanka Country Report, which constitutes a part of the special social sciences project led by NADS “Database Building of Countries along the BRI”. BRI Roundtable series is another creative mechanism of think tank international cooperation and public diplomacy following NADS proposed and successfully held RUC-WUN Conference.