President Ranil Wickremesinghe with Simon Lin, Senior Vice President of Huawei Technologies and President of Huawei Asia Pacific

Sri Lanka has formally inked an agreement with the Chinese technology giant, Huawei, solidifying the company’s commitment to support the digitisation of schools in the island nation, President’s Media Division (PMD) said in a statement.
The agreement signing took place when President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is on an official tour to China, visited the Huawei’s research and development centre in Beijing, yesterday.
Simon Lin, Senior Vice President of Huawei Technologies and President of Huawei Asia Pacific, announced his company’s readiness to support an annual study programme aimed at nurturing software and hardware engineers in Sri Lanka. 
He mentioned that Huawei has already initiated collaborations with several Sri Lankan universities, not only in academic assistance but also in providing technology and infrastructure.

Meanwhile, President Wickremesinghe emphasised the crucial role of both the Chinese government and Huawei in supporting Sri Lanka’s digital education system and green energy production. 
He stressed the need for Sri Lanka to build a competitive digital and green economy to face the challenges of the future. He noted that the foundational work for this transformation is already underway.
The discussions extended to the importance of empowering Sri Lankan citizens with digital technology, which is closely linked to the nation’s economic growth. 

The Sri Lankan delegation was also briefed on Huawei’s international services and their latest technological advancements.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry, Minister of Transport and Mass Media Bandula Gunawardena, Senior Presidential Advisor on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayaka were also present on this occasion.
Also, the Sri Lankan delegation led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe held discussions with the heads of a number of leading entrepreneurial organisations including the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).