Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie says Beijing's increasingly close ties with South Asia are aimed at ensuring regional "security and stability" and are not intended to harm any "third party".

Liang, the first Chinese defence minister to visit Sri Lanka, did not name India -- where he heads to Sunday -- but officials in New Delhi have expressed concerns about Beijing's influence in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan.

India fears it might be part of a Chinese policy to throw a "string of pearls" -- a circle of influence -- around regional rival India.

But in a speech released by Sri Lanka's military on Saturday, Liang said that China had only peaceful intentions in South Asia, while stressing that the Indian Ocean was an important supply route for his fast-developing country.

Beijing is seeking "harmonious co-existence and mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation" with countries in the region, he told a Sri Lankan army staff college on Thursday, according to a copy of the speech.

In New Delhi, the minister will be a guest of the defence ministry, an Indian government spokesman said, without giving details of what will be discussed.

India is warily eyeing growing Chinese clout in what New Delhi regards as its traditional sphere of influence.

Liang dismissed the "China-threat theory".

"Some people in the international community suspect that China would take the road of expansion with force and have been actively spreading the 'China-threat theory'," he said.

"The People's Liberation Army (China's armed forces) efforts in conducting friendly exchanges and cooperation with its counterparts in South Asian are intended for maintaining regional security and stability and not targeted at any third party," he added.

Liang said his trip to Colombo was aimed at further strengthening close ties with Sri Lanka, including military cooperation.

China is a key supplier of weapons to the Sri Lankan military, which in 2009 crushed the Tamil Tiger rebels and declared an end to 37 years of ethnic conflict that claimed up to 100,000 lives on the island, according to UN estimates.

US military in Asia 'beneficial', envoy tells China
Beijing (AFP) Sept 1, 2012 - US envoy to Beijing Gary Locke on Saturday tried to ease China's fears that Washington wants to hem it in by emphasising American military presence in Asia was not targeted at a single country.

"We strongly believe -- and I believe most in the region would agree -- that our security presence here is beneficial to the countries of the region and necessary for the continued vitality of the Asia-Pacific," Locke said.

"Our security presence is not aimed at any one country," he said in a speech at Peking University, noting that the United States was also boosting its diplomatic and economic engagement in the region.

Locke's remarks came days ahead of a planned visit to Beijing by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss the two countries' sometimes tense economic and security relationship.

Chinese state media have accused Washington of trying to contain China by befriending regional countries -- a view that has been reinforced by Clinton's decision to start her trip in the often-overlooked South Pacific.

Clinton -- the first US secretary of state to attend an annual South Pacific summit -- announced in the Cook Islands on Friday $32 million in aid projects.

She emphasised, however, that there was ample room for all countries -- including the United States and China -- to work together to help Pacific nations.

Chinese media have warned the United States against seeking to exploit recent escalations over territorial sea disputes between China and its neighbours, including Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Some countries in the region already have US military support while others seek closer security ties to counter what they call China's growing assertiveness in the sovereignty disagreements.

Locke also stressed the importance -- but also the challenge -- of strengthening US-China cooperation, highlighting contentious issues such as trade relations, currency policies, Iran, Syria and human rights.

"A China that is more open to all views, ideas and expressions, will lead to a stronger and more secure China," he said.

"We've got a long way to go" in US-China cooperation, he said, "but I'm hopeful that working together we can escape from historical patterns and instead forge a legacy of cooperation and partnership."