China To Provide Offshore Patrol Vessels To Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has signed defence deals worth 120 million RMB with China that includes provision of Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), during an official visit by the Secretary of Defence to Beijing this week.

During the second Defence Cooperation Dialogue co-chaired by Defense Secretary Hettiarachchi and Admiral Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of Joint Staff Department of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), China has also agreed to provide military assistance to the country, Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defense (MOD) said.

The two sides reviewed the entire gamut of defence cooperation including high level exchanges, military assistance, training opportunities, collaboration between defence think tanks, intelligence cooperation, joint military exercises and participation in defence seminars, workshops and symposia.

"The military-to-military relations serve as a cornerstone for bilateral relations, and the Chinese military is willing to continue to support Sri Lanka's defense and military development, and work with it to implement the consensus reached by Chinese president Xi Jinping and Sri Lanka "President Sirisena," the Chinese Defense Official said.