Huang Xiaowei, Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), and Vice-Chairperson of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council, met Maithree Wickremesinghe, wife of Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe, on October 17. Mrs Wickremesinghe accompanied her husband to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF 2023), which opened in Beijing on October 18.

Huang and Professor Wickremesinghe reviewed the profound friendship between the people, especially between women of the two countries. Huang said friendly relations between China and Sri Lanka have lasted for thousands of years. Under the strategic leadership of the two presidents, China and Sri Lanka have carried forward the Rubber-Rice Pact and have promoted the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) guided by the principle of "planning together, building together and benefiting together," which has benefited both countries and the people, Huang noted.

Women's exchanges represent a significant component of the friendship between Chinese and Sri Lankans. The ACWF is willing to work hand-in-hand with sisters from Sri Lanka as real partners to continue deepening mutual learning and communications among the people, to advance implementation of the BRI, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and to play important roles in building a community with a shared future for mankind, Huang added.

Huang explained comprehensively the great importance Chinese President Xi Jinping attaches to and his cordial care about the work for women and children, and the historic progress and transformations that have taken place in the cause of Chinese women and children under Xi's leadership in the new era. Huang outlined ACWF's efforts to protect women's lawful rights and interests and highlighted the Spring Bud Project, which was awarded the 2023 UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Prize for Girls' and Women's Education.

Huang said that Peng Liyuan, wife of President Xi, is a UNESCO Special Envoy for the Advancement of Girls' and Women's Education, and also a Special Envoy for the Spring Bud Project to Promote Girls' Education in China. Peng practices earnestly what she advocates, gives guidance and makes outstanding contributions to the advancement of girls' and women's education.

Mrs Wickremesinghe spoke positively of the achievements of Chinese women and children's development. She expressed her willingness to learn China's practices on the elimination of discrimination against women, in particular to learn about China's good practices on the improvement of relevant laws and its national mechanism. She said Sri Lanka will enhance cooperation with China continuously to promote China-Sri Lanka people's friendship and women's all-round development.

Lin Yi, Vice-President and Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, attended the meeting.

(Source: Liaison Department of the All-China Women's Federation)