SAF and PLA Conduct Bilateral Training Exercise

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) are participating in their third bilateral training exercise, COOPERATION 2014, from 1 to 9 November 2014 in Nanjing, China. Brigadier-General Siew Kum Wong, Assistant Chief of General Staff (Operations), and Major-General Wang Chunning, Commander of 12th Mixed Group Army, Nanjing Military Region co-officiated at the opening ceremony this morning.

About 70 personnel each from the SAF and the PLA are taking part in this nine-day exercise which will include professional seminars and a Company-level conventional infantry exercise featuring a live-firing demonstration. The SAF is represented by personnel from the 5th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment and 3rd Singapore Division. They will participate in the exercise alongside their Chinese counterparts from the PLA 179th Brigade and Nanjing Military Region.

COOPERATION 2014 provides a good platform for personnel of the two armed forces to interact and better understand each other. COOPERATION 2014 also underscores the warm and growing defence relations between both armed forces. Both interact regularly through exchanges of visits, courses, exercises, and port calls.

Exercise COOPERATION 2014 took place from 1 to 9 Nov 14, with the opening ceremony conducted on 2 Nov 14.