PLA Deputy Chief of General Staff Calls on Commander

A ten-member Chinese military delegation, led by Lieutenant General Wang Guanzhong, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), currently in Sri Lanka, paid a courtesy call on the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake at the Army Headquarters.

The military delegation during their cordial discussions touched on matters of bilateral importance, including training, exchange of programmes and expertise and possibilities of further strengthening exchange of officer / other rank training courses. The Chinese Ambassador for Sri Lanka coordinated the meeting and joined the delegation with the Commander.  

Several senior officers, including Military Secretary, Director General General Staff, Commandant ARTRAC, Director Training and Director Operations were associated with the meeting at the Commander’s office.

Earlier on Tuesday (26) morning, the delegation met Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development at the Ministry of Defence.

The visiting Lieutenant General Guanzhong joined the PLA in 1970 and has held a number of appointments in command, operational and administrative spheres. He has been serving as the Deputy Chief of General Staff of the PLA since 2012.

Meanwhile, the delegation visited the Panagoda Army Cantonment on Tuesday (26) evening. They were received by Major General A.K.S Perera, Commander, Security Force Headquarters - West.

During the visit, the delegates saw for themselves a symbolic demonstration of battle skills, displayed by Special Forces (SF) and Sri Lanka Artillery (SLA).  At the end of the visit, they attended a tree-planting at the Army cantonment.