Australia and Singapore reaffirmed their "close and long-standing" bilateral defense partnership on June 12 and discussed increasing collaboration under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, according to a statement from Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).
During his trip to Singapore to attend the 19th Shangri-La Dialogue, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles made this announcement. The International Institute for Strategic Studies organized the high-level security meeting, which began on Friday and concludes on Sunday.
Mr. Marles, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, paid a visit to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in the Istana on Friday and Singapore's Defense Minister Ng Eng Hee on Sunday.
"The SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) and the Australian Defence Force have a long history of military collaboration, and we are appreciative for Australia's support of SAF training in Australia," said Mr. Lee in a Sunday Facebook post.
Mr. Marles and Dr. Ng reaffirmed their commitment to the combined development of training areas and advanced training facilities in Queensland, Australia, on Sunday.
"These facilities being created under the 2020 Treaty on Military Training and Training Area Development will serve both Armed Forces by increasing training capacity and providing more advanced training opportunities," MINDEF stated.
Mr. Marles and Dr. Ng discussed views on regional and international security problems of common importance, and reiterated their commitment to close collaboration under the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus and the Five Power Defence Arrangements to meet these challenges.
Mr. Marles is in Singapore with a team of top Australian officials, which includes Chief of the Australian Defense Force General Angus Campbell and Secretary of the Department of Defence Greg Moriarty.
In a Facebook post, Mr. Lee expressed his eagerness to meet the incoming Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, in person and to develop bilateral relations.
In May, Mr. Albanese led the Labor Party to victory, bringing to an end nearly a decade of conservative government in Australia.
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