Sri Lanka-China defence ties reaffirmed at PLA 98th anniversary celebrations

Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara has highlighted the deep-rooted friendship between Sri Lanka and China, forged through centuries of cultural exchange and strengthened over 68 years of formal diplomatic relations.

The Deputy Minister of Defence made these remarks while addressing the event held to mark the 98th Anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Addressing the event, the Deputy Minister commended the PLA’s 98 years of remarkable history, resilience, and evolution in overcoming the diverse challenges of modern warfare and security.

He also recalled the landmark state visit of the President to China in January this year. The Deputy Minister stated that the visit reaffirmed the shared values of independence, self-reliance, solidarity, and mutual assistance as enshrined in the historic Rubber-Rice Pact, while paving the way to further deepen the Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two nations.

Deputy Minister Aruna Jayasekara also expressed profound appreciation for China’s steadfast defence cooperation with Sri Lanka, acknowledging its invaluable assistance during the three-decade conflict and its active role in post-conflict development initiatives that uplifted the livelihoods of war-affected communities.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister commended the PLA’s continued support in capacity building, training, and professional exchange programmes, particularly in strengthening the operational capabilities of the Sri Lankan tri-forces.