Training program for Sri Lankan journalists opens in Kunming

On June 10, the 2026 training program for Sri Lankan journalists kicked off in Kunming, southwestern China's Yunnan province. Li Yafang, deputy editor-in-chief of China International Communications Group (CICG) and president of the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies under CICG, and Mothilal Kankanamalage, deputy director of the International News Department and director of the International Exchange Department of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, addressed the opening ceremony. Ren Yuanzheng, Party secretary and president of Yunnan Daily Press Group, also attended the event.

Li Yafang, deputy editor-in-chief of China International Communications Group (CICG) and president of the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 training program for Sri Lankan journalists in Kunming, Yunnan province, June 10, 2026. [Photo/CICG]

Li said that journalists of China and Sri Lanka could contribute in three interconnected roles: First, they could be chroniclers of authentic stories, presenting a fuller picture of China's modernization, ecological progress, and rural revitalization. Second, they could act as bridges of win-win cooperation, sharing genuine and multi-faceted stories of China-Sri Lanka cooperation that reflect the principles of sincerity and integrity. Third, they could serve as promoters of civilizational exchanges, deepening communication and cooperation, using their first-hand experiences to vividly tell the story of China-Sri Lanka friendship, and strengthening dialogue and mutual understanding.

Mothilal Kankanamalage, deputy director of the International News Department and director of the International Exchange Department of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 training program for Sri Lankan journalists held in Kunming, Yunnan province, June 10, 2026. [Photo/CICG]

Kankanamalage said that this training program represented not only a valuable opportunity for professional capacity building, but also a meaningful journey for furthering China-Sri Lanka friendship. Through field visits to Kunming, Pu'er, Yuxi, and other locations, participants would gain in-depth insights into China's practical experience in sustainable development, rural revitalization, and international communication. He described the program as a new starting point for media professionals from both sides to bolster long-term exchanges and collaboration, and to jointly tell compelling stories of regional cooperation and China-Sri Lanka friendship.

Mothilal Kankanamalage, Li Yafang, and Ren Yuanzheng (left to right) take a group photo after pouring the "Water of Convergence" into a ceremonial vessel during the opening ceremony of the 2026 training program for Sri Lankan journalists held in Kunming, Yunnan province, June 10, 2026. [Photo/CICG]

At the opening ceremony, Li, Kankanamalage, and Ren took the stage together and poured the "Water of Convergence" — a symbol of China-Sri Lanka friendship — into a ceremonial vessel. A face-to-face exchange session for Chinese and Sri Lankan journalists was also held during the ceremony.

The 2026 training program for Sri Lankan journalists kicks off with an opening ceremony in Kunming, Yunnan province, June 10, 2026. [Photo/CICG]

This 10-day training program gathers 20 journalists representing over 10 media outlets in Sri Lanka. In the subsequent days of the program, a lineup of cultural and people-to-people exchange events will be held, with renowned scholars and industry experts set to deliver thematic lectures.