President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned after a four day state visit to China. The President and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa visited China on the invitation of President of China Xi Jinping.

President Rajapaksa is among the first few foreign leaders to visit China since the new leadership assumed office in March.

During his stay in China, President Rajapaksa held bi-lateral discus-sions with his counterpart as well as Prime Minister Li Keqiang, Vice President Li Yuanchao, Minister of Defence Chang Wanquan and Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng.

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Monitoring MP for the Ministry

of External Affairs Sajin de Vaas Gunawardena, Ministers Wimal Weerawansa and Douglas Devananda, Parliamentarians A.H.M. Azwer, Namal Rajapaksa, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Chief-of-Staff Gamini Senerath accompanied the President on his State visit.

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President’s State Visit to China

President Mahinda Rajapaksa meeting Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan pose for a group photo at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa being introduced to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Exter-nal Affairs Minister Prof. G L Peiris was also present.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa participating in religious observances.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa being presented a Buddha statue. First Lady Shiranthi Raja-paksa and Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa are also in the picture.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa and members of the Sri Lankan delegation being taken in procession.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa and the Lankan delegation at the Lingguang Buddhist Temple.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa making a presentation to Lingguang Buddhist Temple Chief Incumbent Most Venerable Chang Zang.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa receiving a warm welcome from Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa being received at the Beijing Capital International Airport by China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Zhenmin along with Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in China Ranjith Uyangoda.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, along with members of the Sri Lankan delegation, visiting the Lingguang Buddhist Temple in Beijing.

Pictures by Sudath Silva