• Beijing Showing No Reduction in South China Sea Military Presence, US Admiral Says

• India's voice consequential in regional order building in Indo-Pacific region

• CHINA PROPOSES ANOTHER MARITIME EXERCISE WITH ASEAN
• India looks east to strengthen bilateral cooperation
• Interview: China- ASEAN ties reach new high with implementation of blueprint, says ambassador
• Politics: Vietnam’s Naval Force Prepares for IMR 2020 and AMNEX 2-2020
• Singapore, China ministers ink upgraded defence pact
• Larger-scale military exercises in store as Singapore and China upgrade defence pact
• Singapore in first joint naval exercise with India and Thailand
• US- ASEAN Wrap Up First Combined Naval Drills
• Vietnam attends ASEAN -US naval exercise in Thailand
• Passage to Vietnam
• Philippines warship in quadrilateral drill in South China Sea
• India, Vietnam for peaceful Indo-Pacific region based on respect for national sovereignty: VP Naidu
• BRP Andres Bonifacio in Busan for training exercise
• Navies from 12 countries to hold joint exercise
• PH Navy sends warship for maritime exercises with 17 other countries in Korea, Singapore
• Growing India-Singapore Defence Collaboration
• Naval alliance needs more teeth
• A New ‘Washington Consensus’ (No. of pages: 7)
• Vietnam holds first planning conference for AMNEX 2/2020
• Russia to Take Part in Naval Drills Organized by S.Korea, Singapore in May 2019 - Ministry
• India prepares military drills with dozen African nations to counter China
• Quad core: Joint naval exercises are imperative t o balance China

Page 1 © 2021 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

Beijing Showing No Reduction in South China Sea Military Presence, US Admiral Says

720 words
13 December 2019
Government Publications and Press Releases
GOVPUB
English
Copyright © 2019 Federal Information & News Dispatch, Inc.

Beijing Showing No Reduction in South China Sea Military Presence, US Admiral Says

2019-12-13

There are no indications Beijing will scale back its military arsenal on islands it has built in the South China Sea,
despite objections from countries that see the disputed waterway as vital to international shipping, the U.S.
Pacific Fleet commander told reporters in Bangkok on Friday.

Over the past decade China has established bases on those islands and equipped them with anti-aircraft and anti-
ship missile systems as well as radar jamming equipment, in defiance of international law, Adm. John C.
Aquilino said. Recently, Chinese bombers landed on runways constructed on the artificial isles.

"I see no signs of China reducing its military might in the region," he said. "What I would hope is that China
would operate in accordance with international law and enable the free and open Indo-Pacific that exists today to
continue, and try not to constrain it."

"Despite what is said by the Chinese Communist Party, it is clear to me that those islands are built for one
purpose -- that is to militarize the region," he said in response to questions from reporters. "So when we talk
about what is said and what is done, it is important to look to deeds and not listen to words."

China claims almost all of the South China Sea, a vital waterway for international shipping and trade, while
Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan have their own overlapping claims to portions of the
disputed waters.

Earlier this year, the U.S. joined the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in
conducting their first combined naval exercise in the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea. Senior U.S. Navy
officers stressed that the exercises were part of efforts to foster closer maritime security ties with the ASEAN
countries in keeping waters in the Indo-Pacific region open and free.

"It is important for the United States to operate in the region and for the past 80 years the United States, with its
presence, has enabled peace and prosperity for all nations -- so that is the importance of why we are here and
why we will remain here," he said.

Competition, not conflict

There is a competition between the two superpowers, said Aquilino, who came to Bangkok, at the invitation of
Thai Navy commander Adm. Luechai Ruddit, to attend a royal barge procession on Thursday marking the final
rite in the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X).

"I said we were in competition in China but that does not mean conflict," he said. "Our ships operate in close
proximity with Chinese ships and all nations' ships in the region and we want to keep those interactions safe.
Those are the things we do to prevent conflict."

The U.S. Navy has been sailing through the South China Sea in a show of force in the face of Chinese activities
and to uphold the international principle of freedom of navigation.

Page 2 of 37 © 2021 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

Aquilino said the competition stemmed from the two nations' disagreement over ideologies.

"When the United States talks about values that like-minded nations share with regard to, again, freedom to
choose government and equal rights, we will continue to work with our partners to share those same values," the
admiral said. "And I believe that the strength of partnerships with those values will be what keeps the nations in
the region secured."

He said the United States had support from many nations throughout the region who want prosperity, freedom of
navigation and access to global resources. The South China Sea is rich with mineral resources.

"All the nations in the region understand the importance, number one of the region for prosperity and security for
all the nations, and number two that access to those area are critical to all the nations. That's why I think you are
seeing and will continue to see many nations speak out against some of the policies that the Chinese Communist
Party is trying to implement."

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.

Copyright (c) 1998-2011, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300,
Washington DC 20036.

Document GOVPUB0020191216efcd0002v

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Defence
India's voice consequential in regional order building in Indo-Pacific region

Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury

594 words
6 December 2019
The Economic Times
ECTIM
English
(c) 2019 The Times of India Group. All rights reserved.

NEW DELHI: India is a natural partner for Australia and its growing and strategic heft is being felt beyond the
Indian Ocean, creating new opportunities for bilateral cooperation based on shared values and outlook. India’s
voice will be particularly consequential in regional order building and along with Indonesia and Vietnam should
have more say and a greater stake in institutions and norm-setting in the Indo-Pacific region suggested Rod
Hilton, Australia's Deputy High Commissioner to India."Australia also strongly supports India’s ongoing
economic integration into the region. We see India as having a role to play in shaping the regional trading order
—prompting the benefit of free and open trade and improving economic governance in the region and beyond,"
Hilton said, adding, "The convergence in our strategic outlooks has also underpinned a deepening of our defence
and security ties.

The third iteration of our bilateral naval exercise, AUSINDEX, held this year (April 2-16), represented the
largest-ever Australian defence deployment to India. The exercise builds on a fourfold increase in our defence
engagement — from 11 defence exercises, meetings and activities in 2014 to 38 in 2018.""The first area is our
joint efforts to shape an open, inclusive and rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific. Australia and India
both have large maritime zones in the Indian Ocean and significant naval capabilities. Both countries are strong
supporters of UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). We are working together to strengthen the
rules-based order in regional forums such as IORA, the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia
Summit."Australia was one of the first countries to come out in support of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative
which Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the East Asia Summit. "We look forward to working with
India as it develops this initiative in consultation with other countries in the region. Our bilateral defence
relationship can also help shape the regional order, especially as we move towards greater interoperability and
alignment of our defence diplomacy," noted Hilton. "The second area is our cooperation on cyber and critical
technologies. Our countries have a shared view that emerging and critical technologies will shape the security
and prosperity of our citizens. A third area of cooperation is responding to the threat of terrorism. The fourth area
is our increasing support for economic governance and infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific. We see a role for
both of us to promote the principles of free and open trade, grow prosperity and support trade liberalisation and
shape the region’s economic rules and institutions."Australia for its part has announced new initiatives across the
Pacific, Southeast Asia and South Asia. "We will use our Southeast Asia Economic Governance and
Infrastructure Initiative to unlock the next wave of Southeast Asia’s economic growth," according to Hilton.
Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs launched in January the new South Asia Regional Connectivity initiative,
known as SARIC. SARIC will focus on the transport and energy sectors and we will seek to support connectivity
between South and Southeast Asia, a priority of both India and ASEAN members. And among a major package
of initiatives, known as Pacific Step Up, Australia has announced a A$2 billion financing facility for the
Pacific.Hilton was speaking at Chanakya Chakra forum on Foreign and security policies here on Wednesday on a
theme titled “Towards Secure and Prosperous Indo-Pacific”

For Reprint Rights: timescontent.com

Document ECTIM00020191205efc60000i

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CHINA PROPOSES ANOTHER MARITIME EXERCISE WITH ASEAN

LINDA KHOO HUI LI

252 words
19 November 2019
Bernama Daily Malaysian News
BRNAMA
English
(c) 2019 Bernama - Malaysian National News Agency

BANGKOK, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- After the successful maritime exercise in 2018, China has proposed to hold
another naval exercise with ASEAN to strengthen military ties and promote maritime security in the region.

Bernama learns that China’s Defence Minister, Wei Fenghe has expressed China's interest to hold another
multilateral naval exercise in informal meetings with ASEAN Defence Ministers on Sunday.

According to the source, all defence ministers noted the proposal but it was not finalised.

"China needs to put up an official proposal before the 10 members of ASEAN for the organisation to make a
decision. Any decision would be made unanimously,” he told Bernama here today.

In October last year, ASEAN and China held their first naval exercise at the naval base in Zhanjiang southern
China.

In September this year, ASEAN and the United State held their first maritime exercise from the Sattahip naval
base in Thailand and ended in Singapore.

Led jointly by American and Thai Navies, the exercise took place across international waters in southeast Asia
including the Gulf of Siam and South China Sea before finishing in Singapore.

Yesterday, the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus in a joint statement said the maritime
exercises conducted by the 10 ASEAN countries with China and US reflected the practical cooperation towards
strengthening the centrality of ASEAN in the region’s security.

 It said the naval exercises have enhanced the trust and confidence among member countries.

-- BERNAMA 

KHL CHW

Document BRNAMA0020191120efbj00001

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India looks east to strengthen bilateral cooperation

319 words
14 November 2019
The Herald
HERDAL
English
© 2019, The Herald, All rights Reserved - Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.

Bilateral cooperation between India and Thailand received a new fillip when Prime Minister Narendra Modi held
talks in Bangkok with his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-o-cha on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit during a
three-day visit commencing 3 November. Cooperation in defence and security figured high on the agenda.

A series of tweets from official accounts noted enhanced trade engagement while agreeing to explore further
opportunities in the defence sector.

A strong historical and cultural connection underpins Indo-Thai relations. Indias Look East policy commenced in
1992 with India becoming an ASEAN dialogue partner. This relationship has evolved and received strong
impetus with Modis government transforming this into Act East.

A five-day trilateral naval exercise between India, Singapore and Thailand was held in the Andaman Sea in
September. Furthermore, Indo-Thai coordinated patrols are a regular fixture in the two navies yearly calendar.

India has been identifying export customers for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile developed through an
Indo-Russian JV. Thailand has expressed interest in BrahMos during high-level exchanges, and technical
discussions to take this initiative forward have already reportedly commenced.

The Royal Thai Navy operates Dornier 228 maritime reconnaissance aircraft that are still manufactured by HAL
in India. Thailand could benefit from capabilities developed by HAL for servicing and upgrading these aircraft.
Indian companies have also offered to maintain and upgrade Thailands coastal surveillance systems.

Also in the same neighbourhood, the Indian Navy (IN) has been actively supporting Vietnams efforts to raise its
naval aviation wing since 2009. Vietnam is another potential BrahMos customer.

Additionally, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind visited the Philippines in October, where one agreement signed
included the exchange of white shipping information between the Philippine Coast Guard and IN.

Moving forward, cooperation between India and Southeast Asian countries is expected to gradually experience a
gearshift from Look East to Act East.

Document HERDAL0020191114efbe0002w

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Interview: China- ASEAN ties reach new high with implementation of blueprint, says ambassador

xie Meihua
608 words
2 November 2019
11:27
Xinhua News Agency
XNEWS
English
Copyright 2019. Xinhua News Agency. All rights reserved.

by Xie Meihua, Zhao Qing

BANGKOK, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- The relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) have reached a new high with the implementation of a blueprint to further advance their strategic
partnership and forge wider mutual beneficial cooperation, Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Huang Xilian said.

In an interview with Xinhua ahead of the 35th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits to be held here from
Saturday to Monday, Huang Xilian said 2019 is the first year for the two sides to implement the China-ASEAN
Strategic Partnership Vision 2030 which was adopted at the 21st China-ASEAN Summit in November last year
in Singapore.

The vision is a new cooperation framework between China and ASEAN, underpinned by the three pillars of
political and security cooperation, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchange, and supported by
cooperation in mutually-agreed areas.

With the implementation of the vision, the development of China-ASEAN ties have been featured with
deepened strategic mutual trust, a new breakthrough in two-way trade, closer cooperation in jointly building the
Belt and Road, boosted people to people exchange and expanded cooperation in international and regional
affairs, the ambassador noted.

China and ASEAN have quickened the pace in cooperation on politics and security by holding a joint naval
exercise in April this year and properly handling differences by jointly accelerating the consultations on the
Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, Huang said.

"Against the backdrop of rising unilateralism and protectionism, a breakthrough has been made in trade volume
between China and ASEAN, with the latter overtaking the United States as China's second-largest trading
partner in the first half of this year."

The two-way trade volume for the whole year of 2019 is expected to exceed 600 billion U.S. dollars. The
upgraded protocol of China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement which fully took effect on Oct. 22 will inject new
impetus to the trade between the two sides, he said.

All 10 ASEAN member states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, have supported the Belt and Road Initiative by signing
cooperative documents with China, with projects such as the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor
yielding early results, and the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, the China-Laos railway
and Hanoi's urban railway, among others, progressing smoothly, Huang said.

China has become the largest destination for ASEAN tourists and more and more people from ASEAN
countries are coming to China for visit, work and study, with the number of people visiting between the two
sides expected to reach 60 million by the end of this year, the ambassador said.

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 "2019 is the China-ASEAN Year of Media Exchanges and the two sides have carried out a series of exchange
and cooperation activities, which have promoted the understanding and friendship between the media and the
peoples of the two sides."

China and ASEAN have boosted cooperation in international and regional affairs by jointly pushing forward the
negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, coordinating efforts to safeguard
the rules-based multilateral trading system and strengthening communication on regional hotspot issues
including the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the ambassador noted.

On the future ties between China and the ASEAN, the Chinese ambassador said the two sides should make
greater efforts to coordinate their strategic planning, cultivate new bright spots in cooperation, consolidate the
pillar of people to people exchange, jointly uphold multilateralism and maintain regional peace and stability.

Enditem

01

Document XNEWS00020191102efb2000p1

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Politics: Vietnam’s Naval Force Prepares for IMR 2020 and AMNEX 2-2020

112 words
24 October 2019
Vietnam News Brief Service
VIETNB
English
(c) 2019 Toan Viet Limited Company. All rights reserved.

The Vietnam People’s Navy hosted a mapping conference in central Khanh Hoa province on October 21-23 on
the preparation for the International Maritime Review in 2020 (IMR Nha Trang 2020) and the second ASEAN
Multilateral Naval Exercise in 2020 (AMNEX 2-2020), state media reported.

The event featured officials from naval forces of ASEAN nations, West Pacific nations, Laos’ army, among
others (with plan to send ships to those events).

IMR 2020 and AMNEX 2-2020 will take place on the occasion of Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2020 and
the 65th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Navy.

Document VIETNB0020191024efao0000m

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Singapore, China ministers ink upgraded defence pact

Tan Dawn Wei

The Straits Times (Singapore)
554 words
21 October 2019
ANN Asia News Network
ANNT
English
Copyright 2019. ANN

Singapore and China have upgraded a defence pact that will include frequent high-level dialogues and larger-
scale military exercises involving all three arms of their militaries - the army, navy and air force.

Troops from the two countries will also visit each other under a new Visiting Forces Agreement, while a mutual
logistics support arrangement has been agreed upon.

The new collaboration is a top-up of the Agreement on Defence Exchanges and Security Cooperation signed in
2008. That agreement formalised ongoing defence collaboration such as exchanges of visits and port calls.

Yesterday, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe signed the enlarged deal in
Beijing, ahead of China's annual security conference, Xiangshan Forum, which Dr Ng will address tomorrow.

Besides a regular ministerial-level meeting, the two sides also promised to continue to send their top defence
officials to multilateral conferences, such as Singapore's annual Shangri-La Dialogue and China's Xiangshan
Forum in Beijing.

There will also be academic exchanges between military academies and think-tanks of both countries, while a
bilateral hotline will be set up.

While this year will be Dr Ng's fourth time speaking at the Xiangshan Forum, which is now into its ninth year,
China has for much of the past decade sent lower-level officials to the high-profile Shangri-La Dialogue.

But all that changed this year, when General Wei became the first Chinese defence minister to attend the security
conference since 2011, amid growing rivalry between the United States and China in the region.

When Singapore was Asean chair last year, it also helped usher in the first joint maritime exercise between the
regional bloc and China in October.

Earlier yesterday, Dr Ng had a bilateral meeting with General Wei, during which they discussed institutionalising
and scaling up their joint army and navy exercises, Exercise Cooperation and Exercise Maritime Cooperation.

The fourth instalment of Exercise Cooperation between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and China's People's
Liberation Army (PLA) took place in July in Singapore, while the inaugural naval exercise kicked off in 2015.

A statement from Singapore's Defence Ministry said Dr Ng's visit to China "reflects the growing defence and
bilateral ties between both countries".

Military affairs expert Collin Koh said Beijing's defence diplomacy outreach has been increasingly active in
South-east Asia.

Promoting stronger military ties with China is also in Singapore's interest, as it takes into account China's rising
clout and influence and how that is shaping the regional security architecture.

But the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies research fellow also pointed out challenges in this upgraded

Page 10 of 37 © 2021 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

deal.

One, the SAF and PLA have different organisational cultures, doctrines and equipment, which means it will take
time to improve interoperability and expand the scope of joint training.

Two, Singapore needs to manage operational and technological sensitivities given its close defence and security
links with the West, especially the US, from whom the SAF buys large amounts of military equipment.

"Fostering closer ties with the PLA should not be misperceived as at the expense of undermining the
longstanding trust and cooperation with the US military. So it's a delicate balance to strike," said Dr Koh.

Document ANNT000020191021efal00013

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ST
Larger-scale military exercises in store as Singapore and China upgrade defence pact

Tan Dawn Wei

445 words
20 October 2019
The Straits Times
STIMES
English
(c) 2019 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

BEIJING - Singapore and China have upgraded a defence pact that will include frequent high-level dialogues
and larger-scale military exercises across their army, navy and air force.

Troops from the two countries will also visit each other under a new Visiting Forces Agreement, while a mutual
logistics support arrangement was also struck.

The new collaboration is a top-up of the Agreement on Defence Exchanges and Security Cooperation, signed in
2008. That agreement formalised ongoing defence collaboration such as exchanges of visits and port calls.

On Sunday (Oct 20), Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and his Chinese counterpart General Wei
Fenghe signed the enlarged deal in Beijing, ahead of China's annual security conference, Xiangshan Forum,
where Dr Ng will speak on Tuesday.

Besides a regular ministerial-level meeting, the two sides also promised to continue to send their top defence
officials to multilateral conferences, such as Singapore's annual Shangri-La Dialogue and China's Xiangshan
Forum in Beijing.

There will also be academic exchanges between military academies and think-tanks, while a bilateral hotline will
be set up.

While this year will be Dr Ng's fourth time speaking at the Xiangshan Forum, which is now into its ninth year,
China has for much of the past decade sent lower-level officials to the high-profile Shangri-La Dialogue.

But all that changed this year, when General Wei became the first Chinese defence minister to attend the security
conference since 2011, amid growing rivalry between the United States and China in the region.

The Republic lined up its top men to meet the general when he visited: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy
Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, and Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee
Hean.

When Singapore was Asean chair last year, it also helped usher in the first joint maritime exercise between the
South-east Asian bloc and China, held in October.

Earlier on Sunday, Dr Ng also had a bilateral call with General Wei, where the two talked about institutionalising
and scaling up their joint army and navy exercises, Exercise Cooperation and Exercise Maritime Cooperation.

Exercise Cooperation, between the Singapore Armed Forces and China's People's Liberation Army, held its
fourth instalment in July in Singapore, while the naval exercise first started in 2015.

A statement from Singapore's Defence Ministry said Dr Ng's visit to China "reflects the growing defence and
bilateral ties between both countries".

Page 12 of 37 © 2021 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

Dr Ng will call on General Xu Qiliang, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, on Monday.

Document STIMES0020191020efak000m9

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Singapore in first joint naval exercise with India and Thailand

Lim Min Zhang

The Straits Times (Singapore)
278 words
17 September 2019
ANN Asia News Network
ANNT
English
Copyright 2019. ANN

The first joint maritime exercise by the navies of Singapore, India and Thailand began in Port Blair, India,
yesterday.

Singapore's Defence Ministry said it will last five days and involve five ships from the three nations and more
than 500 participants.

The exercise comprises a shore phase at Port Blair that involves planning and professional exchanges, and a sea
phase starting tomorrow, during which the navies will carry out manoeuvring, navigation, gunnery drills and
boarding operations in the Andaman Sea.

The Defence Ministry said the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) is taking part with the Formidable-class
frigate, RSS Tenacious.

At the opening ceremony in Port Blair, the RSN ship's commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Chan,
said the exercise underscores the responsibility of countries to collaborate to keep sea lines of communication
open as well as strengthens the ability of the three navies to work together.

The joint exercise also reaffirms the longstanding defence ties among Singapore, India and Thailand, the
ministry added.

The drill was announced in June last year by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his keynote address at the
14th Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual defence forum whose participants include defence ministers, senior defence
officials and academics. Mr Modi had said India would start a new trilateral exercise with Singapore, in the hope
that it would be extended to other Asean countries.

The Singapore and Indian navies interact regularly through a range of activities, including staff talks and training
courses. The 26th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise concluded in May this year.

Document ANNT000020190917ef9h0001o

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US- ASEAN Wrap Up First Combined Naval Drills

755 words
6 September 2019
Government Publications and Press Releases
GOVPUB
English
Copyright © 2019 Federal Information & News Dispatch, Inc.

US-ASEAN Wrap Up First Combined Naval Drills

2019-09-06

The United States and 10 Southeast Asian countries have concluded their first combined naval exercise in the
Gulf of Thailand and contested South China Sea, with officials from both sides saying it was a success and
would help them address security threats more efficiently.

At least eight warships, four aircraft and more than a thousand personnel from 11 countries took part in the five-
day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-U.S. Maritime Exercise (AUMX), which ended on Friday
and was co-led by Thailand and the United States.

"The ASEAN-U.S. Maritime Exercise continued the trend of increased multilateral cooperation among navies in
the Indo-Pacific," Lt. (junior grade) Rachel McMarr, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, told BenarNews,
an RFA-affiliated online news service, from the fleet's headquarters in Hawaii.

"A networked region is key to deterring aggression, maintaining stability and ensuring free access to common
domains. The Combined Task Force structure allows our navies to continue to work together -- leveraging our
complementary forces, unique perspectives, regional relationships, and information capabilities. The ASEAN-
U.S. Maritime Exercise increased our collective ability to address threats to security and stability together," she
said.

In Thailand, a Royal Thai Navy officer told BenarNews that "the exercise ended on Friday with good results."
The officer spoke condition of anonymity because he had not been authorized to release such information.

Before the combined exercise began on Sept. 2, senior U.S. Navy officers stressed that the drills were part of
fostering closer maritime security ties with the ASEAN countries in keeping waters in the Indo-Pacific region
open and free -- an apparent indirect challenge to Beijing's territorial expansionism and naval activities in the
South China Sea, where international tensions have been high lately.

"AUMX builds greater maritime security on the strength of ASEAN, the strength of our navy-to-navy bonds,
and the strength our shared belief in a free and open Indo-Pacific," Rear Admiral Joey Tynch, the commander of
Singapore-based Task Force 73, who oversees the U.S. Navy's security cooperation in Southeast Asia, said in a
statement.

The exercise, which kicked off from the Sattahip Naval Base in Thailand, ended in Singapore, officials said.

The exercise involving sailors from the U.S., Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam was taking place "in international waters in Southeast Asia,
including the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea," the U.S. Navy said on Monday.

Although Malaysia sent personnel to observe the ASEAN-U.S. naval exercises, according to sources at the
Malaysian defense ministry, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad this week questioned the need for the drills,
saying these were "a waste of money" that could antagonize China.

The exercises "cost a lot of money and only provoke other people, and if you do that in the South China Sea the

Page 15 of 37 © 2021 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chinese would feel threatened," the 94-year-old leader said during a question-and-answer session while visiting
the Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

"What do they do when they feel threatened? They too would want to build bigger ships, a stronger naval force
and also send their ships to the area," he added, when asked to comment about the ASEAN-U.S. drills.

Malaysia and three other ASEAN countries -- the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei -- along with Taiwan and
China have territorial claims in the South China Sea. Beijing claims nearly all of the sea, including areas close to
its neighbors.

In June, officials in Manila voiced anger after a Chinese trawler struck and sank an anchored Philippine fishing
boat in waters claimed by the Philippines.

American officials, meanwhile, have accused Beijing of "its bullying behavior" in the sea region. Late last
month, the U.S. State Department said Washington was deeply concerned about a series of "aggressive steps" by
China in recent weeks, including Beijing's alleged interference with Hanoi's oil and gas activities in Vietnam's
Exclusive Economic Zone in the sea.

The coordinated drills by the U.S. and ASEAN navies took place nearly a year after the Southeast Asian bloc
and China staged their first joint naval exercise off Zhanjiang, in Guangdong province, in October 2018.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.

Copyright (c) 1998-2011, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300,
Washington DC 20036.

Document GOVPUB0020190909ef9600002

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DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
Vietnam attends ASEAN -US naval exercise in Thailand

285 words
3 September 2019
Vietnam News Summary
VENEWS
English
Copyright 2019. Vian Company Limited.

Navies from Vietnam and other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are
participating in the first ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise (AUMX) that is taking place from September 2-6 in the
Gulf of Thailand and off Vietnam’s southern Ca Mau province.

The opening ceremony was jointly presided over by Thailand’s Vice Admiral Charoenpol Kumrasee, chief-of-
staff of the Royal Thai Fleet, and Rear Admiral Kenneth Whitesell, deputy commander of the US Pacific Fleet.

In all, AUMX includes eight warships and four aircraft from seven countries, and 1,250 personnel representing
all ten ASEAN member states and the US.

Naval ship No. 18 of the Vietnamese Navy headed for the exercise on September 1 and is scheduled to reach the
site of exercise on September 3.

Meanwhile, the US has sent the littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8) to the exercise.

The AUMX is co-led by the US and the Royal Thai Navy and will be preceded with pre-sail activities in
Thailand, Singapore and Brunei, followed by sea drills in international waters in the Gulf of Thailand as well as
the East Sea. The exercise will conclude in Singapore, according to Bangkok Post.

VAdm Charoenpol said the multilateral drill, the first of its kind, is aimed to improve maritime cooperation and
enhance security in the region.

RAdm Whitesell said the collective training reflects a stronger regional military partnership.

AUMX was first proposed at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus
(ADMM-Plus) in 2017 and confirmed during the 12th ADMM in October 2018. (Viet Nam Plus – September 2;
Viet Nam Net – September 2)

Document VENEWS0020190903ef930004j

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Opinion
Passage to Vietnam

1,017 words
22 May 2019
The Statesman
AIWTHS
English
© 2019 The Statesman Ltd. All rights reserved

Statesman News Service, May-22 Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu paid a four day official visit to Vietnam
from 9 to 12 May. It was aimed at enhancing India’s comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam. It is
common knowledge that India-Vietnam partnership has stood the test of time. Besides interactions with top
political leaders of Vietnam, Mr Naidu addressed the Indian community at an event and hailed the relationship
between the two countries.

Among his engagements, the Vice-President held meetings with his Vietnamese counterpart Dang Thi Ngoc
Thinh, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairperson of the National Assembly of Vietnam, Nguyen Thi
Kim Ngan. Mr Naidu delivered the keynote address at the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak Celebration at Tam
Chuc Pagoda in Vietnam’s Ha Nam Province.

The event was themed as “Buddhist Approach to Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Sustainable
Societies”. While interacting with the Chairperson of the National Assembly, Mr Naidu stressed the importance
of regular exchange of visits between parliamentarians via the India-Vietnam Parliamentary Group to promote
better understanding and to strengthen legislative cooperation between the two countries.

In order to deepen the human relationship and to reflect the historical bond that exists between the two countries,
an event under the ‘India for Humanity’ initiative launched to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of
Mahatma Gandhi was organized in Vietnam. Mr Naidu met the Vietnamese beneficiaries of the Jaipur Foot
Artificial Limb Fitment Camp. Such events are a reflection of the fact that India- Vietnam relations are built on a
firm foundation of close cultural, historical and civilizational links.

Bilateral ties are marked by mutual trust and understanding as well as strong cooperation in regional and
international fora. Regular exchange of visits by top political leaders from either country have elevated bilateral
ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2016 visit to Vietnam. Mr
Naidu’s visit followed a series of high-level exchanges in 2018 including the visits of the Prime Minister in
January 2018 and the President in March 2018 of Vietnam to India.

These exchanges have resulted in robust cooperation in several areas, expanded defence and security ties, forged
new economic and commercial linkages and deepened peopleto- people engagement. The two sides share a
common desire to promote peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. Of the approximate 30
million Indians settled in over 70 countries, the number of Indians settled in Vietnam might appear to be fewer,
but their role as India’s cultural ambassadors is of immense value.

As of 2011, their number totalled about 2,000, mainly in Ho Chi Minh City. This has risen to about 2,900. Prior
to the Vietnam War, there was a vibrant Indian community consisting primarily of Tamils, and especially the
Chettiars. Reaching out to Indians overseas has emerged as an important instrument of India’s foreign policy.
Top political leaders visiting foreign countries officially have often interacted with the Indian diaspora.

Which is why while addressing the Indian Community and Friends of India in Hanoi, Mr Naidu underlined the
fact that the Indian government’s priority has been to reach out to the Indian community overseas. The Vice-
President appealed to the Indian diaspora in Vietnam to cherish their roots and carry the message of India to the

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world. This historical relationship has been nurtured on the basis of trust and goodwill by successive generations
of leaders.

During wide-ranging talks with his counterpart Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh to enhance bilateral and multilateral
cooperation, Mr Naidu reiterated the importance of building a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,
based on respect for national sovereignty and international law. The strong bilateral relationship between the two
countries is based on mutual trust, understanding, convergence of views on regional and international issues.

Affirming their stand a day after the Indian Navy participated with the navies of the US, the Philippines and
Japan in their first joint naval exercise in the disputed South China Sea, where China is flexing its military
muscle, was therefore significant. Indeed, Vietnam is a strategic pillar of India’s Act East Policy and this
country’s key interlocutor in ASEAN. Hence both countries have called for a Code of Conduct in South China
Sea.

As highlighted by the Prime Minister in June 2018 at the Sangri La Dialogue, India remains committed to the
principle of an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture based on freedom of navigation
and overflight, unimpeded economic activities and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with
international law. The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the Western and
Central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.

The US has conducted a series of “freedom of navigation” exercises in the disputed sea, triggering protests from
Beijing over what it says is infringement of sovereignty. While China claims this oceanic space almost in its
entirety, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also have contending claims on areas falling
within their exclusive economic zones. At the bilateral level, relations are robust in many areas.

This makes the equation multifaceted. Both countries are strengthening cooperation in defence and security,
peaceful use of atomic energy and outer space, science and technology, oil and gas, renewable energy,
infrastructure development, agriculture and innovation-based sectors. In the economic sphere, bilateral trade
presently stands at $14 billion. It doubled from $7.8 billion three years ago.

Both have fixed a target at $15 billion... to be reached by 2020. Given the trends, it seems to be achievable.
Connectivity has been an issue for quite some time. At the moment, there is no direct flight between New Delhi
and Hanoi. Surveys conducted by airlines indicate that it will not be commercially viable.

However, direct air connectivity between the two capitals could be a possibility with the Indian carrier Indigo
deciding to start a direct flight between the two capitals later in 2019. If and when it materialises, both countries
will have crossed another frontier to further boost trade and tourism.

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Philippines warship in quadrilateral drill in South China Sea

Jaime Laude
573 words
10 May 2019
The Philippine Star
PHSTAR
English
(c) 2019 Philstar Global Corporation

MANILA, Philippines — A Philippine Navy (PN) patrol ship and five other warships from Japan, India and the
US are currently conducting a quadrilateral cooperative naval drill in the South China Sea.

PN spokesman Capt. Jonathan Zata yesterday said the naval exercise now underway in international waters is
not directed towards any country in the disputed region.

“It’s being held in international waters of the West Philippine Sea. We’re not trying to pick on one country but
we are just highlighting the fact that we are cooperating with other navies,” Zata said.

Zata added the naval flotilla is headed to Singapore for the second phase of ASEAN-Plus Defense Ministers’
Meeting Maritime Security Field Training Exercise scheduled to open on Monday. The first phase of the drill
was held in the waters of Busan, South Korea.

The PN’s patrol ship, BRP Andres Bonifacio, is currently engaging the vessels of Japan Maritime Self Defense
Force (JMSDF) JS Izumo and JS Murasame; Indian warships INS Kolkata and Shakit and the US warship USS
William P. Lawrence in various types of naval formation exercises.

The naval exercises, also known as “Formex,” are being executed to address various types of threats from the air,
surface and sub-surface via established terminologies, publication and communication protocols.

“That’s what they’re practicing while headed for Singapore for the next phase of the exercise,” Zata said.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the US State Department said Washington will continue to protect its interests as
well as that of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region amid China’s predatory and aggressive action,
specifically in the South China Sea.

Ambassador David Hale, undersecretary for political affairs of the US Department of State, said that while the
US government wants a constructive relationship with China, it wants one that produces results for its people
and for others involved.

“We’re going to be actively defending American interests and values and those of our allies. That is in the area of
trade, religious freedom, human rights and predatory and aggressive action in the South China Sea and even
further afield,” Hale said in a teleconference with local and foreign journalists during his recent visit to Burma.

Hale was responding to a question posed by a Singaporean journalist on US Indo-Pacific strategy, particularly on
the US administration’s stepping up its pressure on China.

In the case of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Hale said the US wants to make sure that countries are aware of
the strategic risks and it wants these countries to see for themselves whether these initiatives are all that they are
touted to be.

“Our own approach is different, in the sense that it’s a fundamentally different approach to economic

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development and governance, one in which free market and free and fair trade are key elements to this. Market-
driven investments rather than state-driven investments,” Hale said.

Before visiting Burma, Hale first traveled to Indonesia and Thailand. From Burma, Hale flew to Japan to wrap
up his visit in the region.

Photo provided by the Philippine Navy shows the BRP Andres Bonifacio along with US, Japan and India
warships heading to Singapore during a naval drill in the West Philippine Sea. The drill is a continuation of the
just-concluded South Korea maritime exercises in the waters off Busan.

Document PHSTAR0020190510ef5a0000m

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BUSINESS
India, Vietnam for peaceful Indo-Pacific region based on respect for national sovereignty: VP Naidu

680 words
10 May 2019
Press Trust of India
PRTRIN
English
Copyright 2019. The Press Trust of India Limited.

(Eds: Updating with more inputs and photos)

Hanoi, May 10 (PTI) India and Vietnam Friday underlined the importance of building a peaceful and prosperous
Indo-Pacific region on the basis of respect for national sovereignty and international law as Vice President
Venkaiah Naidu held wide-ranging talks with his Vietnamese counterpart to enhance bilateral and multilateral
cooperation.

The two countries reaffirmed their stand a day after the Indian Navy participated with the navies of the US, the
Philippines and Japan in their first joint naval exercise in the disputed South China Sea, where China is flexing
its muscles.

Naidu, who is in Vietnam on a four-day official visit, said the two countries have a strong bilateral relationship
based on mutual trust, understanding, convergence of views on regional and international issues.

"I am very happy to be visiting Vietnam, a civilisational friend and trusted partner, a strategic pillar of India's Act
East Policy and our key interlocutor in ASEAN," Naidu said after holding talks with his Vietnamese Vice
President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh.

Naidu and his Vietnamese counterpart reiterated the importance of building a peaceful and prosperous Indo-
Pacific region on the basis of respect for national sovereignty and international law, Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA) said in a statement.

"We hope that the concerned countries are able to reach consensus on a Code of Conduct in South China Sea.

"We are both fully committed to an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture based on
freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded economic activities and peaceful settlement of disputes in
accordance with the international law," Naidu said.

The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the Western and Central Pacific
Ocean, including the South China Sea.

The US has conducted a series of "freedom of navigation" exercises in the disputed South China Sea, triggering
protests from Beijing over what it says is infringement of sovereignty.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, while Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan
are also claimants.

Vice President Naidu, in his statement, said the exchange of high-level visits from both the sides is a clear
indication of the commitment of India and Vietnam to further strengthen the 'Comprehensive Strategic
Partnership'.

The talks between the two leaders were "extensive and productive", the MEA said.

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"Our discussions covered the whole range of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. We have agreed to further
strengthen our bilateral cooperation in defence and security, peaceful uses of atomic energy and outer space,
science and technology, oil and gas, renewable energy, infrastructure development, agriculture and innovation-
based sectors," Naidu said.

The bilateral defence and security cooperation is robust and India and Vietnam are committed to further
strengthen it, he said.

"Our bilateral trade stood at nearly USD 14 billion last year having nearly doubled from USD 7.8 billion three
years ago. I am confident that we will achieve our bilateral trade target of USD 15 billion by 2020.

He extended his wishes to the people of Vietnam for the auspicious day of Vesak which will be celebrated on
Sunday.

"I bring warm greetings from the land of Buddha to the friendly people of Vietnam," Naidu said.

"Buddhism has been a strong bond uniting our two peoples and nations. Indians came to the shores of this
beautiful country two millennia ago with the message of Lord Buddha, of peace and compassion. The remains of
the Champa civilization attest to the exchanges of people, goods, ideas and philosophies," Naidu, who will
deliver the keynote address at the 16th UN Day of Vesak Celebrations in Ha Nam province, said.

Naidu said he looked forward to direct air connectivity between India and Vietnam and to the Indian carrier
Indigo starting direct flights between the two countries later this year. This step would go a long way in boosting
bilateral trade and tourism exchanges," the Vice President said.

Naidu also invited his Vietnamese counterpart to visit India. PTI CPS AKJ AKJ

Document PRTRIN0020190510ef5a00krd

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National
BRP Andres Bonifacio in Busan for training exercise

Francis Wakefield
629 words
29 April 2019
Manila Bulletin
MABULL
English
(c) 2019 Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.

By Francis Wakefield

A Philippine Navy (PN) official said that their participation in this year's Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) Maritime Security Field Training Exercise 2019 in
Busan, Republic of Korea (ROK) demonstrates the Command's commitment to work with the Philippine's
regional neighbors and partner navies in a multilateral environment.

Captain Roy Vincent T. Trinidad, the Commander of Naval Task Group 80.6, made the remark after BRP Andres
Bonifacio (PS17) arrived in Busan Naval Base Pier, on Saturday afternoon (April 27) for the ADMM Plus
Maritime Security Field Training Exercise 2019, which will run from April 29 to May 14, 2019.

The ship, along with the naval contingent was warmly received upon its arrival by the Republic of Korea (ROK)
Navy.

In his speech following the arrival ceremony, Trinidad said that the deployment of PN ships overseas was part of
their major effort in naval diplomacy.

He added that the contingent was looking forward to another successful mission overseas, following recent
sorties in Hawaii, Australia and Russia.

Meanwhile, Captain Jerry Y. Garrido Jr., commanding officer of BRP Andres Bonifacio, said he was looking
forward to participating in this year's naval exercise with other ASEAN navies.

He reiterated that participating "side by side" with their regional counterparts will provide them with better
opportunities to enhance further their skills and interact with fellow sailors.

Garrido also said that the brief respites during the exercise will also give the participating PN contingent the
chance to visit the sights and tourist destination that Busan, South Korea has to offer.

Captain Jonathan V. Zata, director of the Naval Public Affairs Office, said the arrival of BRP Andres Bonifacio in
Busan, South Korea was the second time that a PN vessel went to South Korea.

Zata said the first was in October 2018 during the PN's historic visit in Jeju Island, South Korea.

The Navy spokesman earlier said that that PN ship, together with its 200-man contingent, departed last Tuesday
(April 23, 2019) from Pier 13, South Harbor, Manila on its way to Busan, South Korea.

Zata said aside from the exercise that will take place in Busan, naval maneuvers will also be conducted in
Changi, Singapore.

"ADMM-Plus MARSEC FTX 2019 represents an opportunity for invited navies to participate in multinational

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maritime activities in a manner which promotes greater levels of military cooperation and understanding among
nations in a maritime security environment," Zata said.

Zata said ADMM-Plus MARSEC FTX 2019 is the second International Defense and Security Engagement
(IDSE) that the Philippine Navy will participate in this year.

ADMM-Plus, which groups 10 ASEAN countries, namely: Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia,
Indonesia, LAO People's Democratic Republic (PDR), Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam;
and eight non-ASEAN member states, namely: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea
(ROK), Russian Federation and the United States, for a total of 18 countries will participate in this exercise to
enhance the interoperability with other navies in a maritime security environment.

"This is the second iteration of this exercise; the first one took place last May 2016 in Singapore and Brunei,
respectively," Zata said.

Zata said the Philippine Navy's participation in the ADMM-Plus MARSEC FTX 2019 conveys the Command's
commitment in promoting multilateral cooperation.

"It is an affirmation of its commitment in collaborating with other navies to promote peace and stability in the
region. The naval exercise is aimed to enhance interoperability in responding to maritime threats in a common
operating procedure," Zata said

"This will also validate the decades of friendship, partnership and cooperative engagement amongst participating
countries in responding to maritime security challenges," he added.

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Navies from 12 countries to hold joint exercise

308 words
28 April 2019
Korea Times
KORTIM
English
(c) 2019 Korea Times. All rights reserved.

By Yi Whan-woo

Twelve countries will join a naval exercise off Busan from Monday to Thursday to counter maritime crimes, the
Navy said Sunday.

It said the four-day exercise was the first of a two-part exercise involving 18 members of the ASEAN Defense
Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), a defense dialogue involving ASEAN and other Asia-Pacific countries.

The second part of the exercise will take place from May 9 to 13 off Singapore.

The 12 countries participating this week are South Korea, the United States, China, Japan, Australia, India,
Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

They will send a combined 16 warships and six aircraft.

The remaining six ADMM-Plus members ? Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, New Zealand and Russia ?
will join as observers.

For this week’s exercise, South Korea will operate the 4,400-ton destroyer Wang Geon, the 2,500-ton frigate
Jeonbuk, the 4,900-ton landing ship Cheonjabong, two UH-60 helicopters and one Lynx helicopter. The Wang
Geon will also take part in the second part of the drills.

Led by the South Korean Navy, the first part of the exercise will focus on rescuing ships hijacked by armed
groups.

The Singaporean Navy will lead the second part of the exercise aimed at stopping and searching ships suspected
of carrying banned items.

Some military sources speculated that the Singapore drill was mainly targeting North Korea amid suspicions that
it has been engaged in ship-to-ship transfers of crude oil and other items banned by the United Nations.

From 2017 to 2020, South Korea and Singapore are serving as co-chairs of the maritime security expert working
group of the ADMM-Plus.

The ADMM-Plus was launched in 2010. It had meetings in 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Document KORTIM0020190429ef4s0000e

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National
PH Navy sends warship for maritime exercises with 17 other countries in Korea, Singapore

Aaron Recuenco 
392 words
24 April 2019
Manila Bulletin
MABULL
English
(c) 2019 Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.

By Aaron Recuenco 

The Philippine Navy will send one of its biggest warships to Korea and Singapore to participate in the two-week
long Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus Maritime Security
Field Training Exercise (ADMM-Plus MARSEC FTX).

Navy spokesman Capt. Jonathan Zata said 200 Navy personnel will be on board the BRP Andres Bonifacio
(PS17), and will represent the Philippine military in various exercises.

The event will be held from April 29 to May 14, with the ship expected to arrive in Busan on April 28. The
Philippine Navy contingent will be headed by Capt. Roy Vincent Trinidad.

Rear Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, newly installed commander of the Philippine Fleet, said the activities are
important to hone the skills of Navy personnel through interaction and interoperability with other Navy forces of
various countries.

"This allows your Navy to uphold its commitment in promoting peace in the region by engaging with other
participating navies as well as capitalize the opportunity for its officers and sailors to level up on the multi-
dimensional requirements of naval operations," said Bacordo during the send-off ceremony.

The ADMM-Plus MARSEC FTX 2019 is the second International Defense and Security Engagement (IDSE)
that the Philippine Navy will participate in this year.

Ten other countries in Southeast Asia are expected to participate aside from the Philippines; Brunei Darussalam,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam.

Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea (ROK), Russian Federation and the United
States are also expected to join.

It will be the second iteration of this exercise ever since the first one that took place last May 2016 in Singapore
and Brunei, according to Zata.

"The Philippine Navy's participation in the ADMM-Plus MARSEC FTX 2019 conveys the Command's
commitment in promoting multilateral cooperation. It is an affirmation of its commitment in collaborating with
other navies to promote peace and stability in the region," said Zata.

"The naval exercise is aimed to enhance inter-operability in responding to maritime threats in a common
operating procedure. This will also validate the decades of friendship, partnership and cooperative engagement
among participating countries in responding to maritime security challenges," he added.

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Document MABULL0020190423ef4o0002x

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Growing India-Singapore Defence Collaboration

651 words
18 April 2019
Qatar Tribune
QATRIB
English
© Copyright Qatar Tribune. All Rights Reserved.

As was noted in these pages earlier this week, India and Singapore have just completed their annual joint army
exercise, called Bold Kurukshetra 2019.” The recent bilateral military exercise is a reflection of the growing
strategic proximity between India and Singapore in the face of a series of challenges, including a growing and
muscular China.

Singapore has remained one of India’s major security partners in Southeast Asia. The two countries signed their
first Defence Cooperation Agreement in October 2003 and a separate memorandum of understanding on joint
army exercises in 2005. The two then signed several more agreements for accelerating the pace of military-to-
military relations in 2007 and 2008. These agreements have been reviewed and renewed periodically,
maintaining their commitment to developing a habit of cooperation between the two countries’ armed forces.

Given Singapore’s territorial limitations, India has also opened its own military training facilities, such as the air
force and artillery firing ranges, to the Singapore Armed Forces. Besides, the Indian and Singapore navies have
been engaged in the annual naval exercise series called SIMBEX for more than two decades. In fact, the two
countries celebrated the silver jubilee of their naval exercises last year with major displays of multidimensional
drills,” which saw the participation of many different types of ships and aircraft from India and Singapore.

Starting in 2015, the two countries have also held three editions of the Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, the last of
which was held in November 2018. The third edition of this dialogue had both the defence ministers appreciating
the conclusion of the Navy Implementing Arrangement Concerning Mutual Coordination, Logistics and Services
Support in June 2018. This, along with the Navy Bilateral Agreement signed in November 2017, broadened and
deepened India-Singapore bilateral naval cooperation, taking the relationship higher.

They are also manifestations of the broader focus by both sides on maritime security, as evidenced by other
developments as well such as a technical agreement on the sharing of white shipping information and advancing
coast guard collaboration. Highlighting the significance of maritime security, Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi had stated during the Asean India Commemorative Summit, We remain committed to work with Asean to
enhance our practical cooperation in our shared maritime domain.” He said India is particularly interested in
pursuing cooperation on disaster risk reduction and management, joint patrols and exercises, and maritime
capacity building.

India-Singapore engagements have gotten a lot stronger in recent years. Certainly, Modi has infused more
traction into this relationship as part of his strengthened outreach to Southeast Asia with the Act East Policy. And
there are upcoming developments that will showcase this as well, including reports that India is planning a new
trilateral maritime exercise in the Andaman Sea with Singapore and Thailand later in the year.

The broader convergence of strategic interests between India and Singapore is clearly the driving factor for these
engagements. At the Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, both sides have repeatedly emphasised the importance of
maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight consistent with international law, including the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea.”

Further, while reiterating the importance of international law, they have articulated the need to resolve disputes
through peaceful means.

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On the issue of deepening defence technology collaboration, India and Singapore have a set up a bilateral
Defence Technology Steering Committee as well as the India-Singapore Defence Industry Working Group and
they are reported to be making good progress. Areas of cooperation include combat care and vehicle armour.

The growing economic muscle and military posturing by China provides an important rationale for India and
Singapore to strengthen their bilateral relations. Irrespective of the results of the current Indian national
elections, which are expected in late May, it is likely that India-Singapore ties would deepen and that Singapore
will remain an important priority for India’s outreach to Southeast Asia.

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Naval alliance needs more teeth

Sapna Singh
1,000 words
30 March 2019
The Pioneer
PINEER
English
Copyright 2019. CMYK Printech Ltd.

India, March 30 -- The meteoric rise of China and its assertive influence in the Indo-Pacific region have meant
that India is strengthening its negotiating space by forging economic and strategic ties with the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This has been particularly necessitated by the gradual decline in the US
posturing in the region while China has been multiplying its dominance with the creation of an artificial island in
the South China Sea, the unilateral establishment of Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the East China
Sea and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) connecting Asia to Africa to name a few. This, therefore, makes it
imperative upon the Indian military establishment to pitch for the expansion of Quad - the quadrilateral regional
alliance of India, Australia, Japan and the United States - with the objective of countering Chinese supremacy
and ensuring autonomy over territorial waters.

Why is the Indo-Pacific region emerging as the new strategic hub? Several trade routes criss-cross the choppy
waters. Experts say more than 40 per cent of the global sea-borne trade pass through the vital Straits of Malacca.
Moreover, 15.5 million barrels of global oil trade pass through the Gulf of Hormuz; and 11 million barrels of oil
pass through Malacca and the Singapore Straits. So the tussle is over freedom of navigation, territorial rights,
exploration and use of marine resources and deployment of military forces in the region by each country to
protect its interests and resource base.

As top Navy officials of India, US, Japan, Australia and France assembled at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi,
Indian Navy chief Sunil Lanba argued for greater cooperation by citing the rapid expansion of the Chinese naval
presence in recent years, particularly in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Lanba said no Navy had grown so
rapidly in the last 200 years as the Chinese one and that at any given time, there are around eight Chinese Navy
ships in the northern part of the Indian Ocean.

Keeping the best interests of all countries in mind as per the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS), the Quad's responsibility is building a rule-based order to keep an eye on China's increasing
footprint in the South China Sea. The Quad alliance emphasises on improving inter-operability and evolving a
common maritime awareness template collectively with timely Naval exercises. Malabar is seen as a counter to
China's expansion in this respect. But China cleverly cancelled Australia's bid to join the Malabar naval exercise
in 2017-18, confining it to an observer status only.

While the Malabar naval exercise between India and the US has been an annual exercise since 1992, Quad
became a reality in 2007. However, it began evolving since 2004, when the "tsunami" in the Indian Ocean region
brought together Australia, Japan and the US to launch Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief
(HADR)operations with us.

Over time, navies of the Quad countries have primed themselves to fight different maritime challenges like boat
terrorism, piracy, drug trafficking and weapons smuggling and is now moving together to check China's
territorial ambitions on waters by simply developing ports and islands belonging to smaller countries as part of
its Belt and Road Initiative. The Australian Foreign Minister, Marise Payne, too, has echoed these concerns as
she stressed on the expansion of the Quad alliance and called for a strategic partnership with India, supporting its
role as a strategic anchor in the region. She quoted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Shangri La dialogue
about India's Act East policy of stepped-up activity with Asean and bridging south and Southeast Asia,

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highlighting bilateral ties with Australia.

Underlining the need for the creation of an Indian Ocean Regional Architecture (IORA), Payne assured that
Australia would also support multi-lateral mechanisms to safeguard peace in the Indo-Pacific region. During his
keynote address at the 2018 Shangri La Dialogue, Modi underscored the global importance of the Indo-Pacific
region as a collaborative space when he emphasised that "India does not see the Indo-Pacific region as a strategy
or as a club of limited members. Nor as a grouping that seeks to dominate. And by no means do we consider it as
directed against any country."

Pertinently, in September 2018, India and United States released a joint statement as part of their 2+2 dialogue:
"Indo-Pacific is a free, open and inclusive concept, with Asean centrality at the core and defined by a common
rules-based order."

Given that China is heaving over this concept, the Quad's challenges with regard to China are to maintain
international law, ensure peaceful settlement of disputes and freedom of navigation and allow commerce in the
region, including the South China sea, according to global practices.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has derided the idea of Quad as nothing but sea foam but China should not
underestimate the emerging power equation with the US' new-found determination to restore a balance of power
in the Indo-Pacific region and further isolate China following their trade wars. The US is now even compelling
China to declare why it is averse to taking a stand on global terrorist Masood Azhar at the UN Security Council.
It is pulling out the worst of China's human rights records. In this context, Quad is being viewed as the 21st
century's security alliance against an aggressive China which now sees the US as spearheading a new version of
the Cold War. However, as per top naval officials, the main objective of Quad is to maintain a free and open
Indo-Pacific region which serves the best interest of all countries.

(The writer is Principal Correspondent, The Pioneer)

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Pioneer.

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 A New ‘Washington Consensus’ (No. of pages: 7)
Economic & Political Weekly, 23 February 2019, 7215 words, K M Seethi, (English)
The United States administrationis fervently promoting the“Indo–Pacifi c”
as an alternativegeopolitical construct to mobilisea large number of
countries inthe Asia–Pacifi c region to containChinese and Russian infl
uence.However, India ...
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DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
Vietnam holds first planning conference for AMNEX 2/2020

270 words
22 December 2018
Vietnam News Summary
VENEWS
English
Copyright 2018. Vian Company Limited.

The High Command of Vietnam People’s Navy on December 20 held the first planning conference in Nha Trang
for the second ASEAN Multilateral Naval Exercise (AMNEX 2/2020), which will take place in Vietnam in
2020.

The event was attended by naval officers of ASEAN countries and representatives of the Lao People’s Army and
Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence.

Following the success of the first AMNEX held by the Royal Thai Navy in 2017, Vietnam will host the second
AMNEX in May, 2020. To prepare for the exercise, the Vietnam People’s Navy will hold three planning
conferences, according to deputy chief of staff of the Vietnam People’s Navy Colonel Dam Xuan Tuan.

During the conference, the Vietnam People’s Navy announced the plans for the AMNEX 2/2020 and related
events and received recommendations from the navies of other ASEAN states for plans relating to logistic
works.

Naval officers from ASEAN countries and representatives of the Lao armed forces later visited the Vietnam
Naval Academy and Cam Ranh Port in Nha Trang.

Last year, Vietnam’s naval ship HQ 012-Ly Thai To attended the first AMNEX and an international fleet review
on and around Sattaship Naval Base in the north of the Gulf of Thailand from November 14 – 29.

The AMNEX 2017 featured a harbour-phase exercise, an oil-spill response symposium, discussions on marine
environment protection and arrest of ships carrying illegal chemicals, and sport exchanges.

The event was part of activities to mark the 50th ASEAN anniversary. (Viet Nam Plus – December 21)

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Russia to Take Part in Naval Drills Organized by S.Korea, Singapore in May 2019 - Ministry

РИАН
116 words
15 December 2018
00:21
Sputnik News Service
RVESEN
English
© 2018. Sputnik. All Rights Reserved.

MOSCOW, December 14 (Sputnik) - Russia will take part in naval exercises organized by Singapore and South
Korea as part of cooperation between the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in
2019, Deputy Defense Minister Col. Gen. Alexander Fomin said Friday.

"In March 2019, we will send a group of Russian specialists (20 people) to participate in the exercise of an
expert working group on military medicine, chaired by Myanmar and India. In May 2019 we will take part in a
multilateral naval exercise, which will be organized by Singapore and the Republic of Korea," Fomin said.

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Defence
India prepares military drills with dozen African nations to counter China

Rajat Pandit
514 words
14 December 2018
The Economic Times
ECTIM
English
(c) 2018 The Times of India Group. All rights reserved.

NEW DELHI: India is now stepping-up efforts for a concrete military outreach to Africa after a diplomatic one
to counter the deep strategic inroads made by China in the world’s second largest continent, even as the two
Asian rivals continue with their shadow-boxing for influence in the Indian Ocean Region.India will conduct an
“India-Africa Field Training Exercise (IAFTX)” in Pune from March 18 to 27 next year, which will see the
participation of over a dozen countries ranging from Tanzania and Kenya to Ghana and South Africa, said
defence ministry sources on Wednesday.“Though Indian armed forces do train some military personnel from a
few African nations, the IAFTX will be the first-ever such exercise with several armies from Africa.

The initial planning conference for IAFTX was held a few days ago, with the final one slated for end-January,”
said a source.Interestingly, Army chief General Bipin Rawat is also slated to visit Tanzania and Kenya from
December 17 to 20 to bolster defence cooperation. As part of its overall policy, India has also been holding
defence cooperation talks with countries like Botswana, Egypt, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Morocco,
Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia as well, say sources.The defence engagement with
South Africa is, of course, at a much higher level. Warships and aircraft from India, South Africa and Brazil, for
instance, held the sixth edition of the IBSAMAR naval exercise off Simons Town in October.“But India has not
conducted any bilateral or multi-lateral exercise with other African nations like IAFTX despite long-standing ties
with them,” said the source. The exercise will involve “humanitarian mine action” (de-mining and other
protocols to handle landmines and explosives) and peace-keeping operations, in which India has decades of
expertise, among other areas.The IAFTX endeavor, incidentally, comes at a time when India is wrapping up a
hectic military diplomacy year, which saw it conducting exercises with all the P-5 countries (US, Russia, China,
France and UK), apart from other powerhouses like Australia, Japan, South Africa and Brazil as well as Asean
countries like Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, as was earlier reported by TOI.But India,
much like in the IOR, simply does not have the deep pockets like China for a massive economic and military
engagement with Africa. Backed by its multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which even has the US and
Europe worried, China has fast expanded its footprint in Africa as the “New Great Game” plays out in the
continent known for its minerals and other raw commodities.China in July, incidentally, had dismissed any new
Sino-Indian rivalry in Africa, stressing the two Asian giants were on the same page in their efforts to assist the
countries there. This had come soon after both President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had
visited Rwanda, one after the other, while heading for the BRICS summit in South Africa.

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Quad core: Joint naval exercises are imperative to balance China

TOI Edit
327 words

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18 November 2018
The Times of India & The Economic Times Blogs
TOIETB
English
Copyright © 2018. Bennett, Coleman & Co., Ltd.

The third meeting of Quad countries on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Singapore again saw the four
participants issue separate statements. While the US, Japan and Australia emphasised a rules based order in their
statements, India chose to mention it cursorily in its summary. Given that the whole idea of the Quad is to
preserve a free, open and stable Indo-Pacific region, a rules based order ought to be a core plank of the informal
grouping. True, the Quad is still an evolving platform. But if it is to provide strategic hedge against an assertive
China - which has basically imposed itself on the South China Sea through its island-building activities - the
Quad needs to get its fundamentals right. Here, New Delhi is guilty of unnecessary timidity.

The Quad discussions this time focussed on connectivity, counter-terrorism and cyber security. The four
countries also emphasised Asean centrality in the Indo-Pacific. But all this is just talk even as China already has
significant assets on the ground, while its economic linkages with Southeast Asian nations provide it strategic
depth. In fact, Asean itself is a divided house with countries such as Laos and Cambodia firmly in the China
camp. And while countries like Vietnam vociferously object to Chinese activities in the South China Sea, they
are inclined to leave it at that.

In such a scenario, the only way to get China to re-evaluate its position is by making it believe that other
stakeholders have serious options. And this is where the Quad needs to undertake regular joint naval exercises.
India, Japan and the US already do this under the Malabar naval exercise. But Australia still hasn't been invited.
Such hesitations need to be overcome for larger strategic interest even as attempts should be made to bring in
Indonesia as well. Otherwise, the Quad will dissipate like sea foam.

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