Singapore, China step-up defence cooperation

Singapore and China signed an enhanced Agreement on Defence Exchanges and Security Cooperation (ADESC) on 20 October, signalling a step-up in defence cooperation between the two countries.

Singapore’s Minister for Defence, Ng Eng Hen, and Chinese State Councillor and Minister of National Defense, Wei Fenghe, signed the enhanced agreement at the 7th International Military Sports Council Military World Games in Wuhan.

First signed in 2008, the ADESC formalises activities between the Ministry of Defence and the Singapore armed forces, and the People's Liberation Army; including port calls, bilateral exercises, mutual visits, and cross-attendance of courses.

Under the enhanced ADESC, bilateral defence cooperation between Singapore and China will be increased significantly to include the establishment of a regular Singapore-China Defence Ministers' Dialogue, a Visiting Forces Agreement for troops participating in bilateral exercises, a mutual logistics support arrangement and a bilateral hotline.

Both countries will also conduct more regular academic exchanges among military academies and think-tanks. On enhancing cooperation on multilateral platforms, both sides are also committed to maintaining high-level attendance at multilateral conferences and dialogues such as the Shangri-La Dialogue and the Beijing Xiangshan Forum.