Home / Science / China, Sri Lanka Forge Medicinal Plant Research Pact
China, Sri Lanka Forge Medicinal Plant Research Pact
5 Feb
Summary
- A joint research center for medicinal plants is planned for 2026.
- Guizhou University and a Sri Lankan university will co-found the center.
- Collaboration focuses on traditional knowledge and natural product chemistry.
A new China-Sri Lanka joint research center is on the horizon, with plans to significantly advance cooperation on functional compounds derived from traditional medicinal plants. Guizhou University from China and the Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine in Sri Lanka are slated to co-found this initiative, with a formal cooperation agreement targeted for 2026.
This collaboration was discussed during a recent visit by a delegation led by Professor Hao Gefei of Guizhou University to four Sri Lankan institutions. The discussions encompassed potential student exchange programs and the establishment of this joint research center.
Sri Lanka's abundant tropical medicinal plants and extensive Ayurvedic knowledge are seen as key assets. These will be combined with Guizhou University's strong expertise in developing natural product-based drugs and extracting active ingredients, particularly from medicinal plants that also serve as sources for biopesticides.
This partnership builds on a history of exchanges between China and Sri Lanka in green crop-protection technologies. Guizhou University already directs a China-Sri Lanka joint laboratory focused on green pest control technology for tea, established in 2024, which has aided local tea gardens.
