On the morning of April 29, the opening ceremony of the Seminar on Engineering Project Management for Developing Countries and the Seminar on Construction and Management of Development Zone for Sri Lanka was successfully held. The seminars are sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and organized by the MOFCOM Training Base for International Business Officials (Shanghai) of Shanghai Business School (SBS). Dai Ying, Deputy Director of the MOFCOM Training Base for International Business Officials (Shanghai), attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.
Dai Ying stated that against the backdrop of intensifying global market competition and increasingly diverse customer needs, the importance of engineering project management is becoming increasingly prominent, and is particularly crucial for developing countries. Since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, China and many developing countries have achieved fruitful results in engineering cooperation. Numerous landmark and livelihood projects have been implemented in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America, significantly improving local infrastructure levels, bringing better lives and more development opportunities to the people, and demonstrating China's commitment to openness.
In the 68 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka, the two countries have always respected each other, treated each other as equals, and assisted each other, setting an example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries of different sizes. Until 2024, the total number of provincial-level development zones in China has reached 2,260. China has accumulated rich experience in park development, investment attraction, and enterprise services, and it is believed that this experience can provide valuable reference for Sri Lanka's development zone construction, jointly building a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future, and bringing greater well-being to both countries and their peoples.
Mr. Sarwar Kamal Rahem, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry of Iraq, and representative of the participants in the Seminar on Engineering Project Management for Developing Countries, stated that Chinese culture and history are treasures of the world, conveying values of wisdom, diligence, and respect from ancient times to the present. This seminar is not only a technical exchange but also a bridge of friendship, trust, and cooperation. He believes that the participants will return home full of new ideas, new skills, and deep friendship.
Mr. Darshana Kantha Walpita, Senior Deputy Director of the Sri Lanka Board of Investment, and participant representative of the Seminar on Construction and Management of Development Zone for Sri Lanka, stated that China's contributions in cooperation and experience sharing, and technical assistance are unparalleled. He believes that this seminar will provide a learning platform, enabling participants to master new methods, inspire new thinking, and cultivate critical thinking skills in the rapidly changing global environment. Finally, he expressed his hope that the seminar will help Sri Lanka achieve its vision of a "prosperous nation and a better life".
Both seminars are 14 days long. The Seminar on Engineering Project Management for Developing Countries has 34 participants from Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Cuba, Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, and Sri Lanka. The Seminar on Construction and Management of Development Zone for Sri Lanka has 34 participants from various Sri Lankan government departments, including the Ministry of Industrial and Enterprise Development, the Ministry of Digital Economy, the Ministry of Urban Development, Construction and Housing, the Ministry of Transport, and the Board of Investment. Participants from both seminars will conduct a field trip to Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province.
Written by: Zhao Zixuan
Photograph by: Li Zheng
Reviewed by: Chen Wei
