Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse travelled to on a day six day long visit China to discuss military cooperation including training of security personnel.
"Secretary Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa made an official visit to the People’s Republic of China from 28th February to 6 March 2009," a Sri Lankan Defence Ministry statement said.
Gothabaya Rajapakse, the younger brother of President Mahinda Rajapakse, held discussions with the Chief of the General Staff and Vice Minister of the Ministry of National Defence, Lt General Mia Xio Tian, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information, Chen Qui Fa, and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs He Yifei during his visit.
Rajapakse, extended his gratitude towards People’s Republic of China and its people for the steadfast support given over the years to Sri Lanka to strengthen the war against terrorism, the statement further added.
In the past few years China has become a major supplier of arms to Sri Lanka. As the ethnic conflict intensified, Sri Lanka has purchased JY-11 3D air surveillance radars, armoured personnel carriers, T-56 assault rifles, machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, missiles, bombs and the like from China.
In addition to supplying weapons, China is also increasing its influence over the island, located 22 kilometres south of India, through large scale development projects.
China is upgrading the Hambantota harbour in southern tip of the island and is building or expanding three major roads in Sri Lanka — an expressway from the Katunayake Airport to Colombo, a 200-odd-km road from Ambapasa to Trincomalee and about 100km of road from Hambantota to another airport east of it.
