Latest news with #FivePowerDefenceArrangements
CNA
2 days ago
- General
- CNA
Ministers reaffirm commitment to five-country defence pact
SINGAPORE: Ministers from five countries have reaffirmed their nations' commitment to a defence agreement that has been in place for more than 50 years. The Five Power Defence Arrangements (FDPA) was formed in 1971 against the backdrop of armed conflict across Southeast Asia, and comprises Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Singapore's Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing hosted breakfast on Saturday (May 31) for Australia's Minister for Defence Richard Marles, the UK's Minister of State Lord Vernon Coaker, New Zealand's Minister of Defence Judith Collins and Malaysia's Minister of Defence Mohamed Khaled Nordin on the sidelines of the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue. During the breakfast, the ministers reaffirmed their nations' commitment to the FPDA , and the importance of keeping the FPDA and its exercises relevant to "address contemporary security challenges", said Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). They also commended the pact's progress in implementing the guidance from the 12th FPDA Defence Ministers' Meeting (FDMM) last year, particularly in raising exercise complexity. The 2024 edition of Exercise Bersama Lima (XBL24) was marked by the inaugural participation of fifth-generation fighter aircraft such as F-35 fighter jets from Australia and a 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 MINDEF. "The ministers also affirmed the continued strategic relevance of the FPDA as a constructive, transparent and peaceful defence arrangement which plays an important role in the regional security architecture."
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Singapore defence minister meets counterparts from Five-Power defence nations, other defence ministers
Britain's Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Tony Radakin arrives for a doorstop interview at the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) Defence Chiefs' Conference in Singapore May 29, 2025. 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. - Reuters 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
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Europe sees growing China-Russia alliance as world's top security threat
European leaders headed to Asia this week with a key message: We need to work closer together to preserve the rules-based order against threats from China and Russia. Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat, and French President Emmanuel Macron emphasised the links between Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine and Russia's deepening relationship with China during a range of appearances in Southeast Asia in recent days. 'When China and Russia speak of leading together changes not seen in a hundred years and of revisions of the global security order, we should all be extremely worried,' she added. Kallas accused China of enabling Russia's war machine, saying 80% of dual-use goods used to fight Ukraine come from the world's second-biggest economy. She noted how US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned about China's threat to the rest of Asia, and said Russia should also be a top concern. 'If you are worried about China, you should be worried about Russia,' Kallas said. Western officials accuse China of supplying Russia with critical technologies, including drones, while saying that both nations have engaged in cyberattacks, acts of sabotage and dangerous activities related to infrastructure such as deep-sea cables. Kallas called on European and Asian partners to work together on tackling covert shadow fleets of tankers and to review maritime security laws. North Korea's direct support of Russia's war efforts – including missiles, ammunition and troops – has further brought the conflict closer to home on both sides of the world. 'If China doesn't want NATO being involved in Southeast Asia or in Asia, they should prevent North Korea from engaging on European soil,' Macron said in a keynote address in Singapore on Friday. Speaking to reporters after a meeting on Thursday of a little-known defense grouping known as the Five Power Defence Arrangements, which brings together the Commonwealth nations of Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and the UK, officials from several member countries acknowledged some common challenges. That included risks against underwater information infrastructure in Europe and Asia. 'It is a complex and new area,' said General Mohd Nizam Jaffar, Malaysia's chief of defense forces. 'But we are looking into it.' China Absence China's defense minister, Dong Jun, isn't in Singapore this week — an absence that surprised European officials. It's the first time since 2019 that China hasn't sent its top military diplomat to the annual forum, where the head of delegation typically delivers a speech and takes questions on the third day of the event. The relationship between China and Russia is complicated. While on the surface the two sides have expressed a 'no limits' friendship that has seen them step up military and political exchanges, they still have key differences. Russia has long wanted China to buy more of its non-energy products and is wary of an influx of cheap Chinese goods with the exodus of Western brands. Beijing has spoken out against Russia's nuclear threats and is cautious of being perceived as too closely linked to Russia, as that could carry the risk of sanctions and hurt the potential to improve ties with Europe in a world rattled by US President Donald Trump's tariffs and volatility. Nations in the Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asia are caught between the threat of dramatically higher US levies and a surge of cheaper Chinese goods that could cost them manufacturing jobs. Many rely on China economically and the US for defense, an arrangement that Hegseth challenged in a speech at the forum on Saturday. In an apparent jab at the US and China a day earlier, Macron condemned 'revisionist countries' that seek to impose 'spheres of coercion.' He called for fresh cooperation between Europe and Asia based on free trade, jointly mitigating risks and autonomous decision-making. In Europe's case, that means being allied to the US as a matter of choice but not being dependent on it, while wanting to cooperate and compete fairly with China. 'Our shared responsibility is to ensure with others that our countries are not collateral victims of the imbalances linked to the choices made by the superpowers,' the French president said. European leaders in Singapore, including Macron and Kallas, have pitched the bloc as a reliable and credible ally to nations worried about having to choose between the US and China. Europe has a long-term, strategic commitment to this region, Kallas said on Saturday. 'If you reject unilateralism, bullying and aggression, and instead choose cooperation, shared prosperity and common security, the European Union will always be by your side,' she said.
Mint
2 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Europe Sees China-Russia Threat as World's ‘Greatest Challenge'
European leaders headed to Asia this week with a key message: We need to work closer together to preserve the rules-based order against threats from China and Russia. Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat, and French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the links between Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine and Russia's deepening relationship with China during a range of appearances in Southeast Asia in recent days. 'It is the greatest challenge of our time,' Kallas told an audience at the Shangri-La security conference in Singapore on Saturday. 'When China and Russia speak of leading together changes not seen in a hundred years and of revisions of the global security order, we should all be extremely worried,' she added. Kallas accused China of enabling Russia's war machine, saying 80% of dual-use goods used to fight Ukraine come from the world's second-biggest economy. She noted how US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned about China's threat to the rest of Asia, and said Russia should also be a top concern. 'If you are worried about China, you should be worried about Russia,' Kallas said. Western officials accuse China of supplying Russia with critical technologies, including drones, while saying that both nations have engaged in cyberattacks, acts of sabotage and dangerous activities related to infrastructure such as deep-sea cables. Kallas called on European and Asian partners to work together on tackling covert shadow fleets of tankers and to review maritime security laws. North Korea's direct support of Russia's war efforts – including missiles, ammunition and troops – has further brought the conflict closer to home on both sides of the world. 'If China doesn't want NATO being involved in Southeast Asia or in Asia, they should prevent North Korea from engaging on European soil,' Macron said in a keynote address in Singapore on Friday. Speaking to reporters after a meeting on Thursday of a little-known defense grouping known as the Five Power Defence Arrangements, which brings together the Commonwealth nations of Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and the UK, officials from several member countries acknowledged some common challenges. That included risks against underwater information infrastructure in Europe and Asia. 'It is a complex and new area,' said General Mohd Nizam Jaffar, Malaysia's chief of defense forces. 'But we are looking into it.' China's defense minister, Dong Jun, isn't in Singapore this week — an absence that surprised European officials. It's the first time since 2019 that China hasn't sent its top military diplomat to the annual forum, where the head of delegation typically delivers a speech and takes questions on the third day of the event. The relationship between China and Russia is complicated. While on the surface the two sides have expressed a 'no limits' friendship that has seen them step up military and political exchanges, they still have key differences. Russia has long wanted China to buy more of its non-energy products and is wary of an influx of cheap Chinese goods with the exodus of Western brands. Beijing has spoken out against Russia's nuclear threats and is cautious of being perceived as too closely linked to Russia, as that could carry the risk of sanctions and hurt the potential to improve ties with Europe in a world rattled by US President Donald Trump's tariffs and volatility. Nations in the Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asia are caught between the threat of dramatically higher US levies and a surge of cheaper Chinese goods that could cost them manufacturing jobs. Many rely on China economically and the US for defense, an arrangement that Hegseth challenged in a speech at the forum on Saturday. In an apparent jab at the US and China a day earlier, Macron condemned 'revisionist countries' that seek to impose 'spheres of coercion.' He called for fresh cooperation between Europe and Asia based on free trade, jointly mitigating risks and autonomous decision-making. In Europe's case, that means being allied to the US as a matter of choice but not being dependent on it, while wanting to cooperate and compete fairly with China. 'Our shared responsibility is to ensure with others that our countries are not collateral victims of the imbalances linked to the choices made by the superpowers,' the French president said. European leaders in Singapore, including Macron and Kallas, have pitched the bloc as a reliable and credible ally to nations worried about having to choose between the US and China. Europe has a long-term, strategic commitment to this region, Kallas said on Saturday. 'If you reject unilateralism, bullying and aggression, and instead choose cooperation, shared prosperity and common security, the European Union will always be by your side,' she said. With assistance from Samy Adghirni. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
US Defence Secretary Hegseth in Singapore as Shangri-La Dialogue kicks off amid geopolitical tensions
Singapore: The 22nd edition of the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), Asia's premier defence and security summit, opened here on Friday amid geopolitical tensions. This year's dialogue drew representatives from 47 countries, including 40 ministerial-level delegates, 20 chief of defence forces-level delegates, over 20 senior defence officials, and prominent academics, according to the Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). French President Emmanuel Macron is set to deliver a keynote speech late Friday, where he's expected to position France -- and Europe -- as champions of international cooperation and rules-based trade. Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will deliver a Special Address on May 31 while Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will also host delegates to a dinner on Saturday. MINDEF detailed that Singapore's Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing will speak at the seventh plenary session on June 1 on the topic 'Enhancing Security Cooperation for a Stable Asia-Pacific'. As a regular feature of the SLD, Chan will host visiting Ministers to Roundtable discussions on Saturday and Sunday and the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) Defence Ministers to breakfast. Chan will also conduct bilateral meetings with Ministers and senior officials from various countries on the sidelines of the SLD. Analysts say key topics will likely include regional cooperation, the US security policies and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The implications of sweeping US tariffs are also likely to attract attention, as officials will use the platform to reassure partners and navigate an increasingly multipolar security landscape. Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth is also in Singapore to attend SLD and held a meeting with Chan on the sidelines of the event on Friday. "During the meeting, Chan and Hegseth reaffirmed the excellent and longstanding bilateral defence relationship and the mutually beneficial partnership between Singapore and the US, as anchored by the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Regarding United States Use of Facilities in Singapore. The 1990 MOU was last renewed in 2019 between then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and US President Donald Trump," read a statement issued by the MINDEF. "Chan and Secretary Hegseth agreed on the importance of the US' continued engagement in the Asia-Pacific, which is vital for regional peace, stability and prosperity. Secretary Hegseth also expressed appreciation for Singapore's consistent support for the US' military presence in and engagement of the region. This includes Singapore's facilitation of rotations by US aircraft and vessels, including rotational deployments, port calls, and aircraft stopovers," it added. The Dialogue runs from Friday through Sunday. Shangri-La Dialogue, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing, regional security cooperation, Asia-Pacific stability, Emmanuel Macron
