The Sri Lanka China Society celebrated its 45th anniversary on Wednesday, ahead of China's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival.

A commemorative event was held Wednesday at Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo, which was attended by key members of the society as well as officials from the Sri Lankan government and the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka.

Speaking to Xinhua ahead of the event, Jinith de Silva, president of the society, expressed pride in and gratitude for the society's diligent journey of promoting Sri Lanka-China friendship over the past years.

He also noted that the society intended to revive and organize regularly the set of meetings, seminars and discussions that aim to enhance the members' understanding of China.

Addressing the event, Ni Lisheng, chief of the China Cultural Center in Sri Lanka, thanked the society for its long-standing and effective cooperation with the center in organizing cultural and people-to-people exchanges, while emphasizing the society's pivotal role in presenting Sri Lankan public with a vibrant and panoramic image of modern China.

Sri Lankan Minister of Science and Technology Chrishantha Abeysena congratulated the society on its anniversary in his address. Pointing out that China has become a leading player in the realm of technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics, he emphasized the necessity for Sri Lanka to draw experience from China's success through routine communication and exchanges.

Established in 1981, the Sri Lanka China Society is one of the primary civil society organizations that dedicates itself to enhancing friendship and mutual understanding between Sri Lanka and China.