Singapore Boosts Ties With Vietnam

tankee1981 SG

Singapore Boosts Ties With Vietnam

By WENDELL MINNICK, TAIPEI

Singapore Defense Minister Teo Chee Hean visited Vietnam on Sept. 24-26 at the invitation of his counterpart there, Gen. Phung Quang Thanh, to discuss improving bilateral defense relations, terrorism, humanitarian aid and peacekeeping operations. Both sides also agreed to exchange military representatives.
Teo also met with President Nguyen Minh Triet on Sept. 25 and other political and military leaders, and visited the Vietnam Peoples Army School of Special Forces Training and the Institute of Defense International Relations. Teo also performed the obligatory laying of a wreath at the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh.
According to a press release issued by the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense, President Triet highlighted the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries in many areas and expressed hope that Singapore will share its experiences in economic development and urban management.
The two sides exchanged experiences in army building, the fight against terrorism, humanitarian aid, rescue of natural calamity victims and peacekeeping activities. They agreed to promote the exchange of delegations between the two ministries, enhancing bilateral and multilateral friendly cooperation between the armies and people of the two countries, the release said. For his part, Singaporean Minister Teo Chee Hean emphasized that Singapore attaches importance to promoting relations with Vietnam, which has played an increasingly important role in preserving peace, stability and development in Southeast Asia and in the world. He believed that bilateral security and defense cooperation will further develop on the basis of positive political and economic ties between the two countries.
Vietnams military has more than 480,000 active-duty personnel, along with 4 million reservists, and more than 5 million paramilitary troops. Vietnam has no strategic missiles or blue-water navy.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3065419&C=asiapac

R&R in HCM City anyone? Very Happy

specfore SG

Balance of power - geopoliticking by Singapore.

Vietnam and the rest of Indochina is the buffer between SE Asia and China. We should be worried about how to balance China's military might and influence in the next 10 to 20 years.

We have to think ahead. Right move by our government.

tankfanatic SG

good move…pisssing off the comunist china like that….i wonder what is the next move

LazerLordz SG

We have to hedge against China. Cool

specfore SG

My point is that whatever we do, be it quietly accepting China as the "overlord" for the future in Asia , or actively practising diplomacy with other nations to balance China, China will always act the bully. They cannot be otherwise. Look at the US themselves.

When you are the largest kid, with the resources to back it up, on the playground, what would you do? If you are " good hearted" by nature, you would use your wealth to make friends but some of these friends are made because there is a little element of fear in it.

Arthas79 SG

A strong and powerful Vietnam and Singapore can form the the back-bone of a resilient SEA; especially with many of the other SEA nations occupied with internal issues to focus on maintaining an independant minded South East Asia.

Atobe SG

More likely to hedge against Thailand and Malaysia.

Anway, there remain at least 3000 M113-A1 leftover from the 1970s that can be upgraded to A3 standards.

With the US government slowly getting over the Vietnam defeat syndrome, the US may relent to allow some sales of military hardware to the Vietnamese, so as to have one more partner in the band wagon to balance out the equation with China.

zenden9 SG

Why do we need to scare of China? SIngaporean Chinese speak Chinese,PRC speak Chinese too. I seriously think they wouldn't attack us first in near future! Shall China want to attack countries,the first list will be Japan and US islands in pacific..

I don't see any threat of rise of China. I as a Chinese welcome such shift of power!

LazerLordz SG

That's being too simplistic.

We are not and never will be a Chinese nation. Do not ever forget that. It is not in Singapore's long-term national interest to fall into China's sphere of influence.

Arapahoe SG

Base on empircal observation. I like to reflect upon 2 flash points it is not mean to be against PRC. But both countries has PRC involvement.

Dafur and Myanmar.

PRC has significant investment of Oil interest in Sudan and Myanmar, but has it in anyway help in any civilizes, or any positive influence to the world and to the people in the country that its invest in? Economically it helps its military leaders to stay in power. but politically it does not help stablilities in a country.

Its more like other than resource interest everything else seemed to turn to a blind eyes. All these problems is going to catch up and affect the rest of the world and different region. It is left with neighbouring country to clean up the mess.

Arapahoe SG

i think it is too early to make a political shift for 1 leader. I doubt General sothi will be in power for too long 1 election perharp.

Atobe SG

Thailand has many ways of allowing well connected and resourceful persons to extend their own existence and influence.

As matters stand, for Gen Sonthi to step down as Chief of the Thai Military to enter politics with such confidence - will reveal that he has some assurance of solid backing from some influential power broker.

Perhaps retired Gen Prem is looking for his own successor to advise the King ?

spartan6 SG

China’s history has aways being “forceful”