Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong met with China's Minister of National Defense Dong Jun at the Istana on Friday (May 31), the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced in a press statement.

During the meeting, both leaders reaffirmed longstanding and warm bilateral ties between Singapore and China.

The two also welcomed regular exchanges between the two countries' defence establishments, including high-level visits, military-to-military interactions, and academic exchanges.

They also exchanged views on global and regional security developments and discussed how to strengthen cooperation and build mutual trust in the region.

Also attending the meeting was Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How.

Four-day introductory visit

Dong is on a four-day introductory visit to Singapore from May 30 to Jun. 2.

He called on Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen at the Ministry of Defence at Gombak Camp yesterday (May 30), where he inspected a guard of honour and held a dialogue behind closed doors on defence relations.

He will attend the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) from May 31 to Jun. 2 and deliver a speech at the SLD.

He will also meet the U.S.' Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, in their first official face-to-face dialogue.

Top image via MINDEF.