September 17, 2025
BEIJING – Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing visited the headquarters of the Chinese military’s Southern Theatre Command in Guangzhou on Sept 15, kicking off his introductory visit to China.
In the meeting between Mr Chan and the theatre commander, General Wu Yanan, both sides reaffirmed the close people-to-people ties between the command and the Singapore Armed Forces, said Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (Mindef) on Sept 16.
Mr Chan, who is also Coordinating Minister for Public Services, is on a four-day visit to China, from Sept 15 to 18. This is his first visit to China since being appointed to his current roles in May.
The Southern Theatre Command is one of five theatre commands of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). It is responsible for conducting patrols and enforcement activities in the South China Sea.
On Sept 16, Mr Chan visited the Southern Theatre Command Navy headquarters in Zhanjiang, also in Guangdong province, where he met its political commissar, Vice-Admiral Yang Zhiliang.
Mr Chan inspected a guard of honour on board a Luyang III-class guided-missile destroyer, the Zhanjiang. He also visited a shore training facility, where he was briefed on its simulation training system and damage control centre, said Mindef.
“The frequent interactions between the Republic of Singapore Navy and the PLA Navy (have) enhanced mutual understanding and trust, and strengthened people-to-people ties between our seamen,” Mr Chan wrote in a Facebook post on Sept 16.
Mr Chan is scheduled to meet senior Chinese leaders in Beijing and speak at the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, a three-day event that will cover topics such as US-China relations and governance of new technologies.
Delegations from more than 100 countries, regions and international organisations are expected to attend the annual high-level security forum, akin to the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Mr Chan will also visit the PLA National Defence University, where he will engage senior PLA and provincial officials in a roundtable discussion.
Singapore and China share longstanding, warm and friendly bilateral defence ties, with regular visits between the two defence establishments.
In August, the Ministry of Defence’s Permanent Secretary Chan Heng Kee visited Beijing and met China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun, as well as senior PLA leaders.
In May, the Singapore and Chinese navies took part in the bilateral Exercise Maritime Cooperation in Singapore and the southern reaches of the South China Sea within international waters.
The year 2025 marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of Singapore-China diplomatic relations.
While this is his first visit to China as Defence Minister, Mr Chan has made regular trips to China in his other portfolios.
He visited Suzhou in November 2024 as Minister-in-charge of the Suzhou Industrial Park, the first government-to-government project between Singapore and China.
He told Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao in an interview published on Sept 15 that while Singapore-China bilateral relations are good, Singapore is never complacent and is constantly seeking ways to advance cooperation.