President Xi Jinping Back to Beijing after State Visits to Russia, Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo and Attending Fifth BRICS Summit

BEIJING, China, April 2, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- On the morning of March 31, 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Beijing after state visits to Russia, Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo. In South Africa, Xi also attended the fifth leaders' summit of BRICS countries held from March 26 to 27 in Durban.

Xi's entourage, including his wife Peng Liyuan; Wang Huning, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee; Li Zhanshu, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; and State Councilor Yang Jiechi, also arrived in Beijing together with him.

Xi left Brazzaville for Beijing on the noon of March 30 local time after concluding his state visit to the Republic of Congo. Upon his departure, Xi attended a grand farewell ceremony held by President of the Republic of Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso at the airport. The two heads of state mounted to the inspection platform and the military band played the national anthems of the two countries. President Xi inspected the guards of honor in the company of his Congolese counterpart. Senate President André Obami Itou, President of the National Assembly Justin Koumba, over 30 government ministers, Governor of Brazzaville, senior military generals as well as more than 40 foreign envoys in the Republic of Congo also saw off Xi at the airport.