Xi says China regards Sri Lanka as all-weather friend?

BEIJING -- Xu Qiliang, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission met with Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka's secretary of defence and urban development, on Tuesday.

Hailing the friendship between China and Sri Lanka, Xu Qiliang said leaders of two countries attach great importance to military-to-military ties and the Chinese military is willing to strengthen pragmatic cooperation in various fields with the Sri Lankan military.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa agreed to strengthen the two countries' strategic cooperative partnership during Xi's state visit to Sri Lanka last week.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka will continue to enhance cooperation with China to advance military-to-military ties.