In the News

ROC defense minister visits Singapore

• Publication Date：02/08/2010
• Source： United Daily News

Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu visited Singapore last week and held military talks with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Teo Chee Hean.

Kao’s visit is the first to the city-state by a serving ROC defense minister since 1989 when Cheng Wei-yuan accompanied then-President Lee Teng-hui.

During his visit, Kao attended the Singapore Airshow and reportedly met with the commander of Singaporean military units that train in Taiwan under the “Starlight” program.

Due to the sensitive nature of their position, Taiwan’s defense ministers are rarely invited to Singapore. Kao did not appear publicly at the airshow, instead meeting privately with officials. He was accompanied by officers at the lieutenant-general level, as well as by Military News Agency reporters who covered the airshow and his meetings.

According to unnamed high-ranking ROC government officials, Taiwan-Singapore relations are “excellent” but certain issues have to be handled with care given Singapore’s close ties with mainland China.

Having concluded with difficulty a free trade agreement with the mainland, Singapore has been cautious about cross-strait affairs, keeping a low profile in interactions with Taiwan, the officials said. Nevertheless, there have been bilateral visits, they added.

This is a far cry from September 2004 when Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement warning Taipei of the danger of seeking independence. Mark Chen, Taiwan’s minister of foreign affairs at the time, had derided Singapore’s close ties with mainland China. Chen’s actions set back bilateral ties and caused Singapore to suspend high-level visits and military exchanges with Taiwan.

In January 2005, Taiwan’s C-130 military transport planes delivering humanitarian aid following the South Asian tsunami were forced to cover ROC markings upon landing at Singapore’s Changi Airport. In March that year, the ROC Navy Goodwill Fleet was refused docking rights, leaving over 700 sailors confined to their vessels. The fleet has not visited Singapore since.

Relations between Taipei and Singapore have been on the mend since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May 2008 and implemented his “diplomatic truce” policy with Beijing. Former Vice President Lien Chan attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings held in Singapore last year as a special envoy and exchanged opinions with local political heavyweights. (KP-THN)