Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Cheng Xueyuan met Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo this morning. 

Tweeting about the meeting, Rajapaksa said the Chinese Ambassador conveyed the greetings of Chinese President Xi Jingpin.

Xueyuan was the only foreign diplomat to officially meet Rajapaksa after the latter's controversial appointment as the Prime Minister on October 26. 

It was widely alleged that China was behind Rajapaksa's sudden but brief rise to power on October 26 which led to a 51-day political standoff in Sri Lanka. 

 China, however, has denied its involvement in the internal political affairs in Sri Lanka.