China and Singapore embark on bigger joint navy exercise as South China Sea tensions rise

Drills ‘enhance mutual trust and friendship, and promote practical exchanges’ between militaries, says Chinese defence ministry spokesman

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Sailors from China and Singapore attend the opening ceremony of China-Singapore Exercise Maritime Cooperation 2024 near Zhanjiang in southern China on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 2:00pm, 2 Sep 2024Updated: 1:15pm, 4 Sep 2024

China started a five-day joint maritime exercise with Singapore on Sunday to “promote practical exchanges and cooperation”, between the two countries, the Chinese defence ministry said.

The opening ceremony of China-Singapore Exercise Maritime Cooperation 2024 was held at a military port in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, in southern China on Sunday, state news agency Xinhua said.

It is the third time the exercise has been held since it started in 2015. These drills, expected to take place until Thursday, will be longer and cover more skills than in the past.

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China and Singapore embark on bigger joint navy exercise as South China Sea tensions rise

“The two sides will organise drills, including joint anti-surface strike, replenishment-at-sea, joint search and rescue, visit, board, search and seizure,” Chinese defence ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Wu Qian said, announcing the exercise on Thursday.

“As the third edition of this series of exercise, it will further enhance mutual trust and friendship, and promote practical exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries.”

Singapore’s Ministry of Defence announced on Sunday that its navy fleet commander Rear Admiral Kwan Hon Chuong and the Chinese navy’s South Sea fleet commander Vice-Admiral Li Pengcheng co-officiated the opening ceremony at Ma Xie Naval Base attended by around 200 participants from both militaries.

“The strong and friendly defence relationship between Singapore and China is exemplified by Exercise Maritime Cooperation,” Kwan said.