SINGAPORE: Defence ministers from the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to the grouping’s role in regional security during a meeting hosted by Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing on May 31.
Chan hosted breakfast for Australia Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, United Kingdom Minister of State (Minister for the House of Lords) Lord Vernon Coaker, New Zealand Minister of Defence Judith Collins KC and Malaysian Minister of Defence Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, which took place on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue.
At the meeting, a regular feature of the security forum, the ministers commended the grouping’s progress in implementing their nations’ guidance to raise the complexity of FPDA exercises to stay relevant to current security challenges.
The 2024 edition of the FPDA’s Exercise Bersama Lima (XBL24) saw the inaugural participation of fifth-generation fighter aircraft, including F-35 fighter jets from Australia and the P-8 maritime patrol aircraft from New Zealand.
“Looking ahead, the Ministers look forward to the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group’s participation in XBL25, which would be a milestone achievement for the FPDA, and reaffirm the importance of committing high-end assets to FPDA exercises to enhance their professional value,” said Singapore’s Ministry of Defence in a statement.
The ministers also affirmed the continued strategic relevance of the FPDA as a constructive, transparent and peaceful defence arrangement that supports regional security architecture, it added.
Formed in 1971, the FPDA brings together Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom in a consultative security framework. The arrangement was established in the wake of the British military withdrawal from South-East Asia, providing a platform for defence cooperation and consultation.
Mindef said that the FPDA continues to play a key role in promoting regional cooperation through regular exercises, dialogues and platforms for sharing professional knowledge and experiences.
As part of his bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Chan met Japan Minister of Defence Nakatani Gen on May 31.
han welcomed Nakatani, who had attended the inaugural edition of the forum in 2002, back to the dialogue.
As the country coordinator for Asean-Japan dialogue relations, Chan reiterated Singapore’s commitment to work closely with Japan to enhance regional peace and security, including through the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), Mindef said.
Both ministers also reaffirmed the warm and friendly bilateral defence relationship between Singapore and Japan, and discussed strengthening defence cooperation to tackle shared challenges, such as through cyber exchanges and enhancing research and collaboration in defence technology.
The Shangri-La Dialogue is taking place in Singapore from May 30 to June 1, bringing together defence ministers, military chiefs and security experts from around the world to discuss key security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. - The Straits Times/ANN
