COLOMBO (PTI): China has said that it attaches "great importance" to developing military relations with its South Asian neighbours, but sought to assure that these were not targeted at any "third party".
Winding up a five-day visit to Sri Lanka, Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie claimed that these close military ties were intended for "maintaining regional security and stability and not targeted at any third party".
His remarks come in the backdrop of concerns voiced in Washington and New Delhi over Chinese intentions of stepping up military assistance and ties with countries in the Indian Ocean and Africa.
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