Singapore, 6 Jun (ZXS) -- On 2 June local time, Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Li Shangfu, who is visiting Singapore, held talks with Singaporean Defense Minister Huang Yonghong. In the evening, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei held a briefing in Singapore to introduce the talks.
What are the highlights of the Chinese defense minister's visit to Singapore? What will it add to China's defense and security cooperation with Singapore and ASEAN countries? What is its significance for maintaining regional security and stability? A reporter from the China News Agency interviewed Chinese military experts on the same day to interpret this.
Establish a direct and secure telephone communication line
A spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense said at a briefing on the evening of June 6 that after the talks between the defense ministers of the two countries, the defense departments of the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a direct telephone communication line.
According to Zhao Xiaozhuo, a researcher at the War Research Institute of the Academy of Military Sciences, the signing of this memorandum of understanding is a highlight of the visit, and the leaders of the defense department can directly pick up the phone to find the leaders of the defense department of the other side, "the two sides can communicate with each other on many issues, especially in the first time in an emergency."
China has established a direct telephone mechanism with defense departments with many countries. Zhao Xiaozhuo further pointed out that this kind of communication includes two levels, one is that there are many problems between the two sides, and it is necessary to maintain communication for crisis management; Another level is to improve the efficiency of communication and cooperation between the two sides from the perspective of facilitating communication and strengthening pragmatic cooperation. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between China and Singapore is precisely for the consideration of communication.
Zhang Chi, deputy director of the National Security Strategy Teaching and Research Office of the National Security College of the National Defense University, also believes that judging from the results of this visit, the mutual trust between the Chinese and New Zealand militaries has risen to a new height, indicating that the exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries in military and defense security have shown a good trend.
Relations between the two militaries have reached a new height
In recent years, China and Singapore have maintained exchanges and communication with frequent high-level exchanges, and leaders of the defense departments of the two countries have also had close exchanges.
Zhao Xiaozhuo said that military interaction between China and Singapore is frequent. "The Chinese military has close ties with the Singapore military, not limited to high-level visits, but also exchanges between military academies, and the two militaries have held bilateral joint exercises and joint training on many occasions, not to mention multilateral defense and security cooperation with ASEAN countries under the '10+1 framework.'"
Just a month ago, the five-day China-Singapore Cooperation – 5 joint maritime exercise concluded in Singapore. The naval vessels of China and Singapore jointly completed drills on anti-mine guidance, sea supply positioning, and live firing of naval guns, so as to temper the ability of officers and men of the two sides to jointly carry out diversified military tasks.
At present, China-Singapore relations have been elevated to the height of "all-round and high-quality forward-looking partnership", which has pointed out the direction for the development of relations between the two militaries and the two countries. Zhao Xiaozhuo held that the relations between the two militaries should also conform to the development of bilateral relations and constantly move to a new height. The Chinese defense minister's visit to Singapore is a practical measure to further strengthen China-Singapore military relations, close communication and exchanges, and deepen security cooperation.
The regional significance of the relationship between the Chinese and New Zealand armed forces
Tan Kefei said that during the meeting between the defense ministers of the two countries, China expressed firm support for ASEAN's central position in the regional architecture, support for the construction of the ASEAN community, and support for ASEAN to maintain strategic autonomy. The two sides agreed that they should continue to maintain a good trend of cooperation, strengthen high-level strategic communication, promote bilateral practical cooperation, and strengthen multilateral exchanges and cooperation.
China has always regarded ASEAN as a priority in its peripheral diplomacy and has always firmly supported the regional defense and security mechanism centered on ASEAN. In the post-epidemic era, the Chinese military took the lead in resuming defense and security cooperation with ASEAN countries, especially Singapore, and played an active role in maintaining regional peace and stability.
Mr Teo said that Singapore's long-standing strategy of "small country, big diplomacy" has enabled it to play an important role in regional cooperation and the international arena. China and Singapore can focus on common security needs, work together to build a regional security barrier, and make due contributions to the development of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership.
"In particular, the security and development of the Asia-Pacific region is facing some severe challenges, and China is willing to work with ASEAN countries, including Singapore, to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, jointly eliminate interference, actively carry out practical maritime cooperation, and safeguard regional peace and long-term peace and stability." Zhang Chi said. (End)