The President of the Indian Ocean Island state The Seychelles has been in China for talks aimed at furthering mutual economic and technical ties. During his stay he was guest of honour at a large banquet, held talks with Vice-Premier Li Hsien-Nien, and also laid a wreath at the Chairman Mao memorial.

SYNOPSIS: President Rene paid his tribute to chairman Mao at the impressive mausoleum in Peking. The building, which resembles a glassed-in Parthenon??? with columns along each side, was completed last year. It was built in six months by a labour force of 700,000 people, mostly volunteers. President Rene and his wife were accompanied at the wreath-laying ceremony by Ho Ying, the Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs. A two-minutes silence was observed as the wreath was laid before the statue commemorating the late Chairman, who died in 1976. The white silk ribbon on the wreath bore the message - "You have gone great leader, but your guiding light will never die".

Later President Rene and his official party held talks with leading Chinese officials, Vice-Minister of Economic Relations with Foreign Countries Cheng Fei Vice-Premier Li Hsien-Nien and the Chinese ambassador to the Seychelles.

President Rene was reported as saying that the growing military capability in the Indian Ocean of the Soviet Union and the United States threatened the sovereignty of his country. Later the Chinese were reported to have affirmed that they were squarely behind The Seychelles in their wish to establish the Indian Ocean as a zone of international peace.