COLOMBO, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Anthony Demonge Kushan, a Sri Lankan PhD student in rehabilitation medicine and physiotherapy, got his admission notification to a Chinese university on Aug. 15 at the Chinese Embassy in the South Asian country.
He is one of the Sri Lankan recipients of the annual Chinese government scholarship this year.
Speaking at the scholarship awarding ceremony held recently, he said the Chinese scholarship is nothing short of a dream coming true.
This will surely help him achieve his professional goals, said Kushan.
"My fascination with China has been a journey starting from watching martial arts movies in childhood," he added. "I enjoy the richness of Chinese cuisine, and I have always admired and respected the Chinese culture."
Educational exchanges have been a key part of bilateral cooperation between China and Sri Lanka, and over 4,000 Sri Lankan students have benefited from the Chinese government scholarship program beginning 1975.
"In recent years, bilateral exchanges at all levels have continued to increase. And cooperation in various fields, such as economy, trade and culture have continued to deepen," said Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong when congratulating the scholarship recipients in his address.
"The Chinese government scholarship serves as an important bond to strengthen the exchanges with young generations. Many students after returning from their studies in China have become backbone talent in all walks of life in Sri Lanka," Qi noted.
In addition to scholarships, the Chinese side has also provided an increasing number of short and mid-term training programs for Sri Lankan students.
Currently, every year many Sri Lankan students go to China for study with full scholarship or one-time scholarship and participate in training programs, according to Qi.
Sri Lankan Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha said the Chinese government has been a steadfast supporter of Sri Lanka. He appreciated China's support for the development of education in his country.
A total of 30 Sri Lankan students were granted the Chinese government scholarship for academic year 2024/25, for the study of liberal arts, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, education, management, economics, law, philosophy, and sociology, among others. ■
