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Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne and an Australian ministerial delegation have hosted their Singaporean counterparts as part of the 11th Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee (SAJMC) meeting in Sydney.
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The biennial high-level talks are an important opportunity to discuss regional security, including the response to extremism and maritime security in the Indo-Pacific. Ministers will also discuss joint priorities for regional forums, including ASEAN and the East Asia Summit.
In 2015, Australia and Singapore elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). Singapore is Australia's largest trade and investment relationship in ASEAN, and eighth-largest trading partner overall, with the Singapore-Australia free trade agreement continuing to provide opportunities for both our nations.
Australia's strong security relationship is underscored by joint military exercises and close co-operation across defence, intelligence and technology sectors.
The Australia-Singapore CSP provides for the joint development of military training areas and facilities in Australia and Singapore to continue to exploit the benefits derived from the development of Exercise TRIDENT as the signature bilateral joint military exercise.
The CSP will enable Australia and Singapore to work together on defence science and technology, in areas including combat systems/command, control, communications, computers and intelligence integration; and cognitive/human systems integration.
This meeting comes just three months after Minister Pyne's tour of Asia, which saw him reaffirm Australia's enduring commitment to an open, stable and peaceful Indo-Pacific Asian region.
As part of this tour, Minister Pyne visited Singapore where he delivered the keynote address at the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) Fullerton Forum and shared Australia’s perspectives on important security challenges within the Indo-Pacific region.
"Australia is firmly committed to supporting robust dialogue on regional strategic issues, and recognises the IISS Fullerton Forum, along with the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, as key regional defence and security institutions," Minister Pyne said at the time.
The SAJMC was established by the prime ministers of Australia and Singapore in 1996. Singapore will be represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, and Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
