Lanka announces dates for Xi's visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping will make a two-day visit to Sri Lanka next week during which the two countries will look at ways to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.
President Xi will visit the island nation from September 16-17. The visit has come at the invitation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the External Affairs Ministry here said today.
Sri Lanka hopes that President Xi's visit will "elevate the bilateral relations to a 'Strategic Cooperation Partnership', by substantially expanding the mandate for engagement," the statement from the Ministry said.
A number of bilateral agreements and MOUs are expected to be signed during the visit.

Xi will be the first Chinese Head of State to visit Sri Lanka in 28 years.
Xi will also visit India and the Maldives.
While China and India are yet to announce the tour programme, Chinese officials have said that Xi, who is also general-secretary of the ruling Communist Party, will begin his visit in Ahmedabad on September 17.