The bilateral exercise brought together SAF and PLA troops for urban counter-terrorism training, deepening defence ties and strengthening operational interoperability.
The seventh edition of Exercise Cooperation, a bilateral military exercise between the Singapore Army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), was conducted in Singapore from 10 to 17 December 2025. The exercise continued efforts to enhance professional exchanges and reinforce the longstanding defence relationship between Singapore and China.
This year’s exercise involved 90 personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces’ 3rd Singapore Division and 1st Commando Battalion, alongside troops from the PLA Southern Theatre Command Army’s 74th Army Group. Hosted in various training locations, the exercise focused on urban counter-terrorism operations, reflecting shared priorities in addressing evolving security challenges.
Image by: Singapore Ministry of Defence
Participants trained together in a range of scenarios, including tactical drills, small-arms live firing, and the deployment of drones for basic reconnaissance and patrol missions. A key highlight of the programme was a battalion-level Field Training Exercise, conducted for the first time at SAFTI City, Singapore’s next-generation urban operations training facility.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Colonel Yow Thiam Poh, Chief-of-Staff of the 3rd Singapore Division, emphasised the significance of the exercise. He said, “Exercise Cooperation demonstrated the warm and friendly defence ties between Singapore and China. It built mutual trust between the People’s Liberation Army and the Singapore Army, and allowed our people from both sides to strengthen relationships and build bonds.”
The exercise concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to enhancing cooperation and maintaining open channels for defence engagement.
Source: Singapore Ministry of Defence
