United Kingdom (UK) Minister of State for Defence Baroness Annabel Goldie called on Senior Minister of State for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman at the Ministry of Defence today. During the meeting, Dr Maliki and Baroness Goldie reaffirmed the significance of the 2018 Defence Cooperation and Memorandum of Understanding (DCMOU)^[1], and the commitment to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation in areas of mutual interest. They also reaffirmed the strategic importance of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), as well as Singapore's and the UK's commitment to cooperate under the FPDA's ambit. Both sides exchanged views on various geopolitical and security developments, including the FPDA's and the UK's commitment to step up defence engagements in the Asia-Pacific.

Baroness Goldie is in Singapore from 1 to 2 October 2019 to attend the Regional Defence Attaché Conference at the British High Commission. Her visit underscores the warm and long-standing defence relations between Singapore and the UK. Both countries cooperate under the ambit of the FPDA, and interact across a wide range of activities including military exercises and exchanges, dialogues and cross-attendance of courses. These interactions strengthen mutual understanding and professional ties between the two countries.

^[1]The DCMOU was signed between Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and former UK Secretary of State for Defence Gavin Williamson on the sidelines of the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue. The DCMOU captures existing long-standing bilateral defence relations and cooperation between both countries, and provides a foundation for future defence cooperation in areas of mutual interest.