Wednesday, 17 September 2014 - 9:51
China's Xi pledges closer defence ties with Sri Lanka
China's President Xi Jinping announced increased defence and maritime security cooperation with Sri Lanka.
Xi said his proposal for a 21st century maritime silk road and his host President Mahinda Rajapakse's vision to turn the Indian Ocean island into a regional shipping and aviation hub were "cut out for one another".
Both believed they should realise the benefits of the silk road plan, an initiative to secure trade routes through economic diplomacy, by "deepening" their cooperation.
