Liang Guanglie holds talks with Singaporean counterpart

Liang Guanglie, state councilor and minister of national defense of the People's Republic of China (PRC), held talks with Ng Eng Hen, the visiting minister for defense of the Republic of Singapore, on the afternoon of June 18, 2012 in Beijing. The two sides exchanged views on such issues as the relations between the two countries and the two militaries, regional security and the South China Sea issue.

Liang Guanglie expressed that the defense departments and high-level military officers of the two countries have had close contacts with each other in recent years as evidenced by successful mechanism-based contact programs such as defense policy dialogues, and steady progress of exchanges among academies, personnel training, joint training, reciprocal visits among warships and exchanges in professional fields as well as good cooperation in multilateral fields.

Liang Guanglie said that the Chinese side is willing to work together with the Singaporean side to promote the all-round and sound development of the relations between the two militaries on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit.

Liang Guanglie hoped that the Singaporean side will play a constructive role in regional affairs, takes a correct and objective stand on relevant issues and maintains regional peace and stability with practical actions.

Ng Eng Hen said that the Singaporean side attaches importance to its relations with China and is satisfied with the good progress that has been made by the two sides on deepening defense relations in recent years. The Singaporean side is willing to make joint efforts with the Chinese side to strengthen high-level military reciprocal visits and professional exchanges, in a bid to constantly deepen the relations between the two militaries.

Before the talks, Liang Guanglie held a welcome ceremony for Ng Eng Hen and accompanied him to review the guard of honor of the three services of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Zheng Chuanfu, commander of the Beijing Garrison of the Chinese PLA, and Loh Ka Leung, Singaporean ambassador to China, participated in the above activities.