Kathmandu— China and Singapore opened their fifth joint maritime exercise on Saturday in south China's Guangdong Province, with drills taking place in the waters and airspace around Zhanjiang. The exercise, which includes live-fire drills, replenishment-at-sea and joint search-and-rescue operations, involves the Chinese guided-missile frigate Dali and Singapore's frigate RSS Steadfast. China's Ministry of National Defense said the drills aim to deepen mutual trust, strengthen practical cooperation and enhance the ability to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

Exercise Scope And Activities

The opening ceremony was held at a naval port in Zhanjiang. The exercise is conducted in two phases, covering in-port exchanges and at-sea drills. The two sides will exchange expertise on diving operations, submarine search and rescue, and underwater medicine, and conduct drills in communications, replenishment-at-sea, joint maritime strikes, and joint search and rescue.

The drills are being held in the waters and airspace around the city and feature live-fire drills, replenishment-at-sea, and joint search-and-rescue operations.

Strategic Rationale

According to China's Ministry of National Defense, the exercise aims to deepen mutual trust, strengthen practical cooperation, and enhance their ability to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

Chinese military expert Zhang Junshe said the joint search-and-rescue drills have important practical significance, given the heavy maritime traffic and complex weather and sea conditions in the South China Sea. Under the search-and-rescue zones designated by the International Maritime Organization, both China and Singapore have maritime rescue responsibilities in relevant waters of the South China Sea, which requires their naval forces to fulfill corresponding duties, Zhang said. He also noted that live-fire exercises and replenishment-at-sea help enhance the two navies' combat capabilities.

History Of Bilateral Drills

China and Singapore held their first bilateral maritime exercise in 2015. Such joint exercises have become a regular part of military exchanges between the two countries in recent years. In May 2025, the Chinese Navy dispatched a guided-missile frigate and a mine countermeasure vessel to Singapore for a joint exercise.

Broader Regional Training

In addition to regular joint maritime exercises with Singapore, China also carries out routine joint drills and training with neighboring countries including Thailand and Cambodia.

The exercise marks the fifth such cooperation between the two countries and continues a pattern of regular naval engagement established since 2015.

(With inputs from Xinhua)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.