BEIJING, April 10 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, President of the Republic of Suriname Chandrikapersad Santokhi will pay a state visit to China on April 11-17, the first to China in his presidency.

Santokhi, 65, served successively as the head of the national criminal investigation department, commissioner of police as well as minister of justice and police of the Republic of Suriname from 1991 to 2010.

In 2010, Santokhi became a member of the National Assembly. In 2011, he was elected chairman of the Progressive Reform Party.

He was elected president of the Republic of Suriname in July 2020. ■