By Ceylonese Magazine Editor
Exclusive Interview with Lakmali Hemachandra
Under the leadership of the new NPP government, Sri Lanka’s economy continues its steady recovery, with national reforms entering deeper and more complex phases. The country is seeking to learn from the development experiences and international case studies of other nations, while actively promoting global exchange and cooperation.
Recently, a Sri Lankan parliamentary delegation, led by the Honourable Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage, visited the People’s Republic of China to participate in the Workshop for Members of Parliament of Sri Lanka, held from June 20 to July 6, 2025.
The delegation included both government and opposition lawmakers, all of whom are office bearers or executive committee members of the Sri Lanka–China Parliamentary Friendship Association.
During their visit, the delegates gained valuable insights into various aspects of China’s development model, including the Belt and Road Initiative, poverty alleviation strategies, urban planning, digital economy, the development and application of artificial intelligence, global energy transition, and carbon neutrality. These discussions are expected to deepen the delegation’s understanding of China’s policy approaches and contribute to strengthening bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and China.
Following the conclusion of the visit, I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Lakmali Hemachandra, member of the delegation and Secretary of the Sri Lanka–China Parliamentary Friendship Association.
1.As a lawyer and a long-time advocate for women’s rights, what inspired you to enter politics? How have your upbringing and education shaped your journey?
I was brought up in a fairly middle class social background and was mostly schooled in an all girls’ school which only allowed Sinhala Buddhist students to enroll. Therefore most of my youth was spent in a sheltered space with limited associations with those with very similar upbringing. I think it was my university education that really pushed me out of the comfort zone and made me think about the world outside of my own life experiences which were very limited. If you maintain a certain openness to what you see and feel when you encounter new people and new situations it necessarily pushes you towards changing yourself and also working towards social change. Politics for me was a tool for social change and reform. A tool that can access solutions for problems people face in their daily lives.
That was my approach towards being a lawyer as well. It gives you space and a certain power to empower and support other people. Very similar to political activism. My training as a lawyer has given me a set of skills to be very solution oriented and leaning towards justice. It adds practical value to seeking solutions and justice. I believe this is what a politician or a public representative should do as well. We have to be practical, principles and oriented towards justice and solutions.
2. You previously worked with the Dabindu Collective, supporting women workers in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone. Could you share a personal story or lesson that has stayed with you from that experience?
There are many stories that stayed on with me from my time working with women workers. During the economic crisis and the pandemic our workers faced extremely difficult working conditions. What struck me the most was their willingness to take on the challenges of these new situations. Since the pandemic there are many women led trade unions that have been formed in the free trade zones. Dabindu is one of them. However there are many more. I consider it a privilege to have worked with those women leaders in building a new form of trade unionism. For the first time in our history of trade unions two women led trade unions have been selected by our government to represent the National Labour Advisory Council. As someone who saw their struggle for recognition I feel very proud to be part of such a trade union movement that strives for change as well as a government that recognizes those struggles. I don’t think this small space is enough to describe the whole story of how women-led trade unions fought for national recognition. However that’s a journey that I am very proud to be part of.
3. During this journey in China, what were the top three themes or sectors that captured your attention most? For instance: sustainable development, economic diversification, or women’s empowerment?
What I observed and appreciated about China is the very people centric use of technological advancements. There are countries who developed some of the technology China is now developing way before. However what is unique about the Chinese development model is the way that technology is used to make people’s lives better. Whether it’s infrastructure modernization in transport or irrigation or using new technologies in energy and agriculture, it is very clear the end goal is to uplift the living conditions of people. I believe that’s a lesson the world should learn from China. Economic development, innovation and technological advancements should ultimately serve the general society without becoming privileges only certain social groups can enjoy. The special attention paid to sustainability also speaks of the people’s centric nature of Chinese development.
4. You visited Shenyang and Nanjing for bilateral meetings and field studies. What specific aspects of China’s development model resonated with you? How do you plan to translate those insights back to Sri Lanka?
Again, it’s the people centricness of development. It was also amazing to see how China blends modernization with culture and history. Whether it’s the conservation of cultural cites from the Ming dynasty to the artful use of former industrial cites as tourist attractions it’s very clear China is a country deeply connected to its history and striving to maintain the continuity even as the country transforms into realities. The Fangcheng palace in Shenyang and the Confusian temple in Nanjing we visited spoke of this ability to blend the present and future with the past.
5. As Secretary of the Sri Lanka–China Parliamentary Friendship Association and Chair of a key oversight committee, how do you intend to facilitate the adoption of Chinese development practices in Sri Lanka? Can you name any specific projects or policy areas?
During our visit we agreed to explore opportunities for people to exchange in order to bring the lessons of China to Sri Lanka. As the Parliamentary Friendship Association we hope to facilitate similar exchanges in the future. As the Chair of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations, I do hope we can explore and study the development of the five year plan in China and the role it plays in sustaining development. I believe Sri Lanka also needs to adopt a similar practice if we are to maintain a scientific approach to development.
6. In your view, what are the main challenges or limitations in current Sri Lanka–China cooperation—be it legal frameworks, funding access, or cultural adaptation? How can these be addressed from a parliamentary standpoint?
Sri Lanka and China share long time friendship. From adults to young children, Sri Lankan people are very familiar with China and feel close to China. Therefore we are on a very good footing already to deepen our relationship. Language barriers might be a constraint in understanding each other’s point of views in the best possible manner. However we can work towards learning both countries’ languages as well. Apart from that I do not think there’s any inadequacy in our legal framework to accommodate respectful and friendly relations between our countries. The current financial situation of my country might be a limiting factor in accessing the full pattern of development practices China has developed. However as that pressure lessens over time we believe we will come to a place which will support better development coordination between the two countries.
7. As a young female parliamentarian, how do you see your role in encouraging greater participation of women and youth in policy-making and international exchange?
Participation of women and youth in policy making is a priority for the Sri Lankan government. The current parliament has the highest female representation, though not adequate, is a significant improvement from the last parliament. We also have young women in the parliament and also at the local government level who are taking up responsibilities and taking on challenges.
China has made remarkable progress in improving the economic and political conditions of women. Sri Lanka has a long way to go in utilizing women’s contribution into the economy as well as to the policy making process. As the Secretary of the China – Sri Lanka parliamentary friendship association as well as the Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations it is important to set an example of women contributing towards policy implementation as well as decision making. Similarly there are many young men and women who are eager to join the nation building process or Punarudaya, which calls for a new national spirit. Sri Lanka is in a process of seeking new knowledge, technology and breaking away from certain dogmas in order to facilitate the investors.
Sri Lanka already has a high literacy rate and education of youth is one of the strongest characteristics of our society. Orienting that education towards industrial development is key for Sri Lanka along with advancements in Research and Development. I think there are areas we can collaborate towards education of youth on development practices and industrial development of Sri Lanka.
8. Do you see opportunities for embedding women’s labor rights or social safeguards into Sri Lanka–China cooperation? For example, through training programs, compliance initiatives, or NGO partnerships?
As someone who has worked on labour rights for women for a very long period of time, it will be particularly interesting to explore spaces to include initiatives on those areas in China – Sri Lanka cooperation work. Advancements of women’s rights are particularly very visible in Chinese society. I do not think there is any barrier within the national policy frameworks of both countries to advance women’s rights.
9. As Chair of the Economic Development Oversight Committee, what do you see as the biggest barriers to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery? How will you balance adopting foreign models with promoting localized, sustainable growth?
Sri Lanka’s economic development is largely constrained by the backward nature of the agricultural sector and the industrial sector. If you look at the contribution of both of these sectors to economic growth you can see there’s a productivity deficit in both the sectors. The regular BoP unbalances, debt dependency and under utilization of the labour force is largely symptomatic of the general unproductivity of these two crucial sectors. People centric and growth oriented reforms in agriculture and the industrial economy are essential to advance our economy. This is why learning from China and transferring certain development practices become very important for a country like us.