The statement quoted Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Karunasena Hettiarachchi as taking note of the large number of training courses provided to Sri Lanka military personnel in China.

Sri Lanka defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 after 30 years of war.

Hettiarachchi made the comments while attending a reception organized on the occasion of the Chinese PLA Navy Task Force port-visit to Sri Lanka at the Colombo harbor.

The Ministry of Defence said that Hettiarachchi recalled the long standing cultural and religious ties between Sri Lanka and China which goes back more than 1,000 years.

The defence secretary also acknowledged the investment and development assistance provided by China as one of the biggest donors to Sri Lanka over the last two decades.

(news.xinhuanet.com)