SAF, PLA CONCLUDE JOINT COUNTER-TERRORISM TRAINING EXERCISE

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and People's Liberation Army (PLA) concluded their second joint counter-terrorism training exercise, COOPERATION 2010, on 24 Nov.

The nine-day exercise involved about 60 exercise troops each from the SAF and PLA, and focused on counter-terrorism security operations for major international events.

Brigadier-General (BG) Ngien Hoon Ping, the SAF's Director of Joint Operations, and Major-General Yang Xuming, Deputy Chief of the Training and Arms Department of the PLA General Staff Headquarters, officiated at the closing ceremony at the Murai Urban Training Facility.

Officials from both countries, including Permanent Secretary (Defence) Chiang Chie Foo and the PLA's Deputy Chief of General Staff, General Ma Xiaotian, were present at the ceremony, and they observed a response drill demonstration by the SAF-PLA Exercise Joint Task Force prior to the ceremony.

The demonstration showed the Exercise Joint Task Force's responses to simulated chemical and explosive threats by intruders at a fictitious international event.

In his speech at the closing ceremony, BG Ngien said: "Singapore recognises China's potential to contribute to regional security, and we welcome China's continued defence exchanges and interactions with our region at the bilateral and multilateral levels."

Besides pointing out that the exercise "provided a platform for both armed forces to better understand and cooperate with each other", he added: "Interactions such as this stand us in good stead to work together in the future, on efforts such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, should there be a need."

COOPERATION 2010 provides personnel of both armed forces with opportunities for interaction, and underscores the warm and growing defence relations between the two armed forces which regularly engage in visits, courses, seminars and port calls.

The first joint counter-terrorism training exercise, COOPERATION 2009, was held in Guilin, China, last year.