Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen met Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense General (GEN) Wei Fenghe in Xi’an, China this morning where they reaffirmed the long-standing, warm and friendly bilateral defence relations between Singapore and China.

During the meeting, both Ministers expressed their commitment to strengthen defence cooperation as agreed upon under the enhanced Agreement on Defence Exchanges and Security Cooperation (ADESC) signed in October 2019. They agreed to resume the bilateral Exercise Cooperation and Exercise Maritime Cooperation in 2023, and looked forward to furthering cooperation in military education and academic exchanges such as study visits and Track 1.5 dialogues. The Ministers also acknowledged the progress of discussions on a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a bilateral defence hotline, an initiative under the enhanced ADESC.

The Ministers exchanged views on global and regional security developments during the meeting. The Ministers underscored the value of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus in fostering strategic dialogue and practical cooperation. They also reiterated the importance of maintaining open lines of communications and strengthening mutual understanding and trust, which are essential for regional peace and security.

Dr Ng is in Xi’an for a working visit at GEN Wei’s invitation. Both defence establishments interact regularly through bilateral and multilateral exercises, high-level visits, professional exchanges, port calls, as well as the cross-attendance of courses and seminars.