Singapore, UK navies to discuss interoperability ahead of FPDA military exercise
Defence leaders from Singapore and the UK will meet to discuss closer naval cooperation ahead of a major military exercise, says the commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group. Exercise Bersama Lima will involve land, air and sea forces from the Five Power Defence Arrangement group - the UK, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia and New Zealand. The aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales will join the exercise for the first time. Aslam Shah goes aboard the ship for a closer look.
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Independent Singapore
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- Independent Singapore
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Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Straits Times
UK junior trade minister visits Taiwan
LONDON - British junior trade minister Douglas Alexander is visiting Taiwan for talks on Sunday, the UK government said, on a trip that is aimed at boosting trade with Taipei but is likely to anger China. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and strongly objects to any official interactions between the island and foreign governments, believing them to represent support for Taiwan's desire to be recognised as an independent country. Britain only has formal diplomatic relations with Beijing, but maintains a de facto embassy in Taipei. Junior British ministers hold talks with their Taiwanese counterparts but by convention senior ministers do not meet Taiwanese officials. Alexander's trip comes at a time when Britain and China are looking to mend ties, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer expected to visit Beijing this year on the first trip by a British leader since 2018. But despite those efforts, tensions remain. Last week, China's military criticised the sailing of a British warship through the Taiwan Strait as a deliberate attempt to "cause trouble". Alexander will be in Taiwan for annual trade talks on June 29-30, the Department for Business and Trade said. He will witness the signing of UK-Taiwan trade partnership pillars, and meet President Lai Ching-te as part of Britain's "long-standing unofficial relationship" with Taiwan, it said. "We share a long-standing trade relationship with Taiwan and our trade reached an all-time high last year, but we know there are still more opportunities for British businesses," Alexander said in a statement. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
