Growing relationship with China purely economic: Lanka

Commenting on the expansion of Chinese interests in Sri Lanka, defence ministry secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that from Colombo's perspective the Chinese investment in the southern Hambantota port was purely economic.

"Sri Lanka has always pursued a non-aligned foreign policy and its only interest is in its economic development", Rajapaksa said.

The brother of the Sri Lankan president was addressing the "Galle Dialogue 2012", an international forum to discuss maritime related issues held for the third year running in the southern port town of Galle.

On the threats faced by the Indian ocean region, Rajapaksa said that these threats may seriously affect the security, stability and sustainability of the Indian ocean region and its impact is felt not only by regional nations but also globally.

Piracy, terrorism, illegal human, drug and arms trafficking, illegal and unregulated fishing and waste disposal are the issues among others that seriously affect the security and sustainability of the Indian Ocean region, he said.