Chinese Defence Minister departs after official visit

Chinese Defence Minister departs after official visit

Chinese State Councillor and Defence Minister, General Wei Fenghe has left Sri Lanka this morning (April 29) following his two-day official visit.

The Chinese delegation of 37 high-ranking officials led by General Fenghe departed for Beijing at around 8.55 am today in special flight B-4026 of the Chinese Air Force.

Chinese defence minister arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday night (April 27). Upon arrival, General Wei Fenghe was received by a Sri Lankan Defence delegation led by Defence Ministry Secretary, Gen. (Rtd.) Kamal Gunaratne at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, Air Force Chief of Staff Air Vice Marshal Prasanna Payoe, Chinese Embassy Officials and Senior Military Officers were also present to receive General Fenghe.

On Wednesday morning, the Chinese Defence Minister called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. Upon concluding the meeting with the Sri Lankan President, he said the bilateral discussions were extremely fruitful and that the relations between the two nations were further strengthened by this visit.

Later in the day, General Fenghe held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa