By: Isuru Parakrama
May 04, Colombo (LNW): Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, has underscored the growing importance of youth engagement in deepening bilateral relations, praising the energy, creativity and shared aspirations of young people in both countries.
In a statement, the envoy noted that the future of any nation increasingly depends on the values and innovation of its younger generation, particularly at a time of significant global change. He said Sri Lankan youth have consistently impressed him with their talent and enthusiasm for cooperation with China.
Highlighting ongoing exchanges, Qi pointed out that more than 100 Sri Lankan students receive scholarships to study in China annually, while over 1,000 individuals from political and business sectors travel there for training and engagement programmes. Universities in both countries also maintain close links, alongside frequent visits by entrepreneurs, media professionals and volunteers.
The Ambassador described Chinese youth using six key attributes: patriotic, striving, innovative, studious, pragmatic and inclusive. He said young people in China demonstrate strong national pride while remaining globally aware, and increasingly pursue diverse career paths, including grassroots service and entrepreneurship.
He also emphasised their role in innovation, noting that individuals under 35 form the backbone of major scientific and technological advancements, including space exploration and quantum computing. In addition, he highlighted a strong culture of lifelong learning, with high levels of participation in further education and skills development.
Qi further observed that Chinese youth are becoming more pragmatic in consumption habits, prioritising value and sustainability, while also showing growing interest in wellbeing, travel and cultural experiences. He added that inclusivity is another defining feature, with young people actively engaging with international audiences and welcoming cross-cultural exchanges.
Turning to bilateral relations, the Ambassador recalled recent high-level visits by Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Harini Amarasuriya to China, during which both sides agreed to expand people-to-people ties, particularly among youth.
He expressed confidence that young people from both nations could play a pivotal role in advancing cooperation in areas such as Belt and Road initiatives and artificial intelligence, while continuing to strengthen longstanding diplomatic relations.
Qi added that the Chinese Embassy in Colombo would continue to facilitate exchanges and create opportunities for mutual learning, enabling youth from both countries to contribute to shared development and understanding.
Full Stastement:
Amid a period of profound changes unseen in a century, a nation’s future increasingly depends on the values, mindset and creativity of its younger generation. In Sri Lanka, I am often moved by the talent and vitality of the young people here, and I can genuinely sense their affinity for China and their enthusiasm for deepening exchanges and cooperation between our two nations: every year, more than 100 students receive scholarships to study in China, and over a thousand figures from the political and business spheres visit China for exchanges and training; universities in both countries maintain close ties, and young entrepreneurs, media professionals and volunteers frequently visit one another, bringing us ever closer together.
Young people in Sri Lanka and China share the same aspirations and a deep sense of connection, all eager to contribute to the development and prosperity of their nations. However, for many of our Sri Lankan friends who have not yet had the opportunity to engage with Chinese young people face-to-face, the term ‘Chinese youth’ may still seem somewhat abstract. So let me use a few keywords to give you an idea of what they are like.
The first keyword: Patriotic. Chinese youth deeply understand that their personal development is inextricably linked to the development of the Chinese nation. They take pride in the nation’s achievements, keep abreast of the international landscape and China’s stance on global affairs, and express their patriotic sentiments in a rational manner. Online, young bloggers use text, images and videos to vividly showcase the real China, and during live streams, they wittily counter malicious mockery directed at China by certain foreign netizens, thereby safeguarding the nation’s dignity and image. Offline, Chinese students abroad defend their rights through lawful and rational means, such as wearing Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing) to protest cultural appropriation by international luxury brands. They actively promote a positive image of China through their actions, for instance by participating in voluntary work to demonstrate the sense of responsibility and commitment of the Chinese people, and by organizing various cultural events to showcase the charm of Chinese civilization.
The second word: Striving. Chinese youth have an open and diverse outlook on employment, and they are adept at creatively applying the knowledge and skills they’ve learnt. Over the past five years, more than 165,000 university graduates have dedicated themselves to grassroots services and rural revitalization, choosing to be ‘green-collar workers’ rather than ‘white-collar workers’. As a new way of working in the new era characterized by self-reliance, a fighting spirit and a determination to succeed, a new generation of entrepreneurs are emerging as ‘curators’ with their own cultural identity and aesthetic style. A single computer serves as a mobile workstation, enabling them to explore entrepreneurial opportunities in fields such as creative design, film and video editing, bespoke craftsmanship and online blogging.
The third word: Innovative. People under the age of 35 have become the backbone in research institutions, on the front lines of industry, and in major national projects. From the Chang’e’ lunar exploration programme to the Jiuzhang quantum computing prototype, and from the ‘China Sky Eye’ (the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope ) to AI and industrial embodied intelligence, a large number of researchers born in the 1990s have achieved breakthroughs in key fields. In the 2025 edition of MIT Technology Review’s ‘35 Innovators Under 35’ list, 25 were Chinese scientists and entrepreneurs.
The fourth word: Studious. Embracing a lifelong commitment to learning, Chinese youth use their spare time to expand the boundaries of knowledge and abilities. Gen Z read an average of over 11.7 books per year. 93.5% of young people continue to pursue learning alongside their work, and 88% have paid for knowledge or skills enhancement. The proportion of educational videos on Bilibili (a major Chinese online video sharing platform) has risen from 3.4% in 2014 to 8.9% in 2024, with 220 million users acquiring specialist knowledge and over 15 million people watching technology-related videos daily. Night schools have also become a new trend, offering a wide range of courses including singing, dancing, sports, foreign languages, painting, make-up and baking. Young people work during the day and attend classes at night, enriching their life experiences.
The fifth word: Pragmatic. Chinese youth’s attitudes towards consumption are becoming increasingly mature and rational. They do not chase luxury goods but prioritize value for money, adhering to the principle of ‘buying what is right, not what is expensive’. Over 60% of young people compare prices when shopping and opt for affordable alternatives. They place great emphasis on environmental protection, ‘making the most of things’ and ‘turning waste into treasure’. On secondhand trading app Xianyu, there are over 43 million monthly active users from the post-2000s generation. Furthermore, young people in China are increasingly willing to spend on ‘mental wellbeing’ and ‘physical health’. Service-based consumption in areas such as travel, sport and art has seen significant growth, with over 70% of young people planning at least one trip each year. Stand-up comedy, concerts and music festivals are particularly popular. In 2024, there were more than 480,000 commercial performances nationwide, attracting 176 million attendees and generating box office revenue of 57.95 billion yuan.
The sixth word: Inclusive. On RedNote (Xiaohongshu), the trend of ‘Cyber Reconciliation’ has seen Chinese netizens warmly welcome foreign friends to the platform, help ‘TikTok refugees’ choose Chinese names, and engage in sincere interactions in the comments section of IShowSpeed’s China travel videos. They yearn both to ‘go out to see the world’ and to ‘welcome the world to China.’ In 2024, those born in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s together accounted for 67% of outbound travelers. Amid the ‘China Travel’ boom, personalized local guides have meticulously designed city-walk routes and shared authentic local snacks, leading foreign visitors on immersive journeys to experience a real, multi-faceted modern China. Cultural barriers? Not anymore!
Dear young friend, I trust that my introduction has given you a glimpse into the vibrant, positive and kind-hearted Chinese youth. From what I know, the young people of Sri Lanka are gentle, open-minded, and deeply interested in new technologies. I am confident that you will become very good friends with the Chinese youth, and carry forward and develop the time-honored friendship between our two countries that spans millennia.
During the visits to China last year by H.E. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Hon. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, the leaders of both countries reached important consensuses to further promote people-to-people exchanges, including those among young people, and to advance Sri Lanka-China relations to a higher level. I believe that the youth of Sri Lanka and China can work closely together in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, artificial intelligence and all other fields. You are sure to, with youthful wisdom and passion, jointly write a new chapter in Sri Lanka-China relations. My colleagues at the Embassy and I will also work hard to build more bridges for mutual learning and exchanges, create more opportunities for common development, and help you deepen mutual understanding through exchanges, grow and progress through cooperation, and make your youthful years shine through dedicated effort.
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