China and Singapore sign defence pact
Dated 14/1/2008
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The Singapore Ministry of Defence and the PRC People’s Liberation Army (PLA) signed the Agreement on Defence Exchanges and Security Cooperation on 7 Jan 08. The Agreement was signed between Permanent Secretary of Defence Mr Chiang Chie Foo and PLA Deputy Chief of Staff LG Ma Xiaotian on behalf of their respective defence ministries.
The proposal to enhance defence cooperation between the two countries was first raised during Minister Teo Chee Hean’s meeting with Chinese Defence Minister GEN Cao Gangchuan in November 2005. Subsequently, during GEN Cao’s visit to Singapore in April 2006, both Defence Ministers agreed that the two countries should work towards signing a defence agreement to provide a framework for developing the bilateral defence partnership.
The Agreement on Defence Exchanges and Security Cooperation is the first defence agreement to be signed between China and Singapore. The pact covers visits, courses, seminars and port calls between Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).