Dr Chulanee Attanayake is a Sri Lankan researcher who works on China and its policies in South Asia. Her book China in Sri Lanka, a comprehensive analysis of Sino-Sri Lankan bilateral relations, was published in 2013. Prior to joining ISAS, Dr Attanayake served as Director (Research) of the Institute of National Security Studies Sri Lanka, the national security think tank under Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence. She was previously a visiting lecturer at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies on Politics in South Asia and Politics in the Indian Ocean, and at the Royal Institute of Colombo. Dr Attanayake obtained her PhD from the Central China Normal University in Wuhan and her master's degree in regional development and planning from the University of Colombo.