▁of ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁since ▁ 1 5 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁or ▁who ▁are ▁the ▁descend ants ▁of ▁such ▁a ▁person ▁and ▁are ▁themselves ▁resident ▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka . ▁It ▁gives ▁them ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁apply ▁for ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁citiz en ▁of ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁by ▁registration ▁( other wise ▁than ▁by ▁descent ). ▁In ▁the ▁following ▁two ▁years , ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 8 0 ▁people ▁acquired ▁Sri ▁L ank an ▁citizens hip ▁under ▁the ▁act . ▁The ▁prov isions ▁of ▁the ▁act ▁will ▁exp ire ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁Education ▁The ▁Sri ▁L ank an ▁government ▁has ▁also ▁long ▁provided ▁scholar ships ▁for ▁Chinese ▁students ▁to ▁study ▁abroad ▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka . ▁Initial ly ▁these ▁scholar ships ▁were ▁handled ▁through ▁the ▁Sri ▁L anka – Ch ina ▁Friend ship ▁Association . ▁When ▁academic ▁ex changes ▁res umed ▁after ▁the ▁Cultural ▁Revolution , ▁they ▁were ▁handled ▁directly ▁at ▁the ▁government al ▁level . ▁The ▁most ▁recent ▁group ▁of ▁Chinese ▁students ▁came ▁after ▁discuss ions ▁during ▁President ▁Mah inda ▁Raj ap ak sa ' s ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁visit ▁to ▁China . ▁The ▁government ▁provided ▁scholar ships ▁for ▁ 1 6 ▁Sin h ala ▁language ▁maj ors ▁from ▁Be ij ing ▁Foreign ▁Studies ▁University ; ▁they ▁arrived ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁and ▁spent ▁six ▁months ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁The ▁Chinese ▁government ▁also ▁sends ▁profess ors ▁of ▁Chinese ▁language ▁to ▁teach ▁at ▁various ▁univers ities ▁in ▁Sri