Minister for Defence Starts Tour of China with Visit to Exercise COOPERATION

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (second from right) interacting with troops from the Singapore Armed Forces during his visit to Exercise COOPERATION 2014.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen opens his visit to China by visiting Exercise COOPERATION 2014 in Nanjing. Exercise COOPERATION 2014 is the third bilateral training exercise between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The previous two iterations of Exercise COOPERATION focused on non-conventional counter-terrorism scenarios. Since then, the exercise has evolved to include conventional infantry scenarios, and underscores the warm and growing defence relations between both armed forces.

Conducted from 1 to 9 November 2014, about 70 personnel each from the SAF and the PLA took part in this nine-day exercise, which included professional seminars and a Company-level conventional infantry exercise featuring a live-firing demonstration. The exercise provides a good platform for personnel of the two armed forces to interact with each other, and better understand and cooperate with each other. Both interact regularly through exchanges of visits, courses, exercises, and port calls.

Dr Ng visited the exercise with Commander Nanjing Military Region General (GEN) Cai Yingting. As part of his visit, Dr Ng witnessed the live-firing demonstration and interacted with the troops on exercise. Dr Ng also attended the closing ceremony, which was co-officiated by Brigadier-General Lim Hock Yu, Chief of Staff - General Staff, and Deputy Commander Nanjing Military Region Lieutenant-General You Haitao.

Dr Ng is in China from 8 to 14 November 2014 for an official visit. Dr Ng will also be hosted to an official dinner by Commander of the Nanjing Military Region GEN Cai later this evening.

Dr Ng (centre) and his counterpart, Commander Nanjing Military Region (MR) General Cai Yingting (fifth from right), observing the closing ceremony of Exercise COOPERATION 2014, which was co-officiated by Chief of Staff - General Staff Brigadier-General Lim Hock Yu (fourth from left) and Deputy Commander Nanjing MR Lieutenant-General You Haitao (fourth from right).