China assures Sri Lanka military assistance in training

2011-10-14 (China Military News cited from ColomboPage News Desk)

The Chinese Army has assured Sri Lanka military assistance, on request, in several areas of professional training including military exercises.

A visiting high-level delegation of China's People's Liberation Army has called on Sri Lanka Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya on Thursday at the Army Headquarters in Colombo.

The six-member Chinese delegation headed by Major General Qian Lihua, Chief of Foreign Affairs Office, Ministry of National Defence has assured the Army Commander of his Army's fullest cooperation to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in several areas of its professional training, exercises and further promotion of military assistance to Sri Lanka on request, a statement issued by SLA said.

The Chinese military delegation was accompanied by China's Ambassador in Colombo Ms. Yang Xiuping.

The Chinese Commander has promised to offer more training opportunities for Sri Lankan trainee officers in military academies in China in the future when officially requested through the Defence Ministry.

The visiting Army official has also offered further assistance using advanced technology in China to improve the infrastructure facilities at the Sri Lanka Military Academy (SLMA) at Diyatalawa.

The visiting Chinese Chief of Foreign Affairs Office during talks has offered to train 100 more Sri Lankan Army de-miners as a goodwill gesture. At present, Sri Lanka's army de-miners were the only foreign contingent trained in China.