Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara, emphasized the enduring friendship between Sri Lanka and China, rooted in centuries of cultural exchange and reinforced through 68 years of formal diplomatic ties.
He made these remarks while addressing the celebration marking the 98th Anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Commending the PLA’s legacy of resilience and its evolution in modern warfare, the Deputy Minister praised the force’s 98-year history and its strategic role in regional and global security.
Recalling President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s state visit to China in January, he noted that the visit reaffirmed shared values such as independence, self-reliance, and solidarity—principles reflected in the historic Rubber-Rice Pact—and helped advance the Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two nations.
The Deputy Minister expressed deep gratitude for China’s continued defence cooperation, including its critical support during Sri Lanka’s three-decade-long conflict and its contributions to post-war development.
He also acknowledged the PLA’s role in enhancing the capabilities of Sri Lanka’s armed forces through training, capacity building, and professional exchange programmes.
