China, Singapore plan military drills as Beijing forges defence ties

• China and Singapore will hold a joint military exercise as soon as this week, their first combined drills since 2021, as Beijing deepens its defence and security ties with Southeast Asia, a region with strong existing U.S. alliances.
• The Chinese navy will deploy a missile-bearing frigate, the Yulin, and a mine-hunting ship, the Chibi, to the joint maritime exercise which will last from late Apr to early May, the Chinese defence ministry said in a statement on 24 Apr, without specifying the location.
• China’s increased military engagement in Southeast Asia is widely expected to challenge the influence that the United States has shaped with countries including Singapore and Indonesia in coming years.

External Link : https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-singapore-plan-military-drills-beijing-forges-defence-ties-2023-04-24/