Singapore has decided to move at least part of the military training facilities it has had in Taiwan for more than two decades to China, a source close to the military and a lawmaker said yesterday.
The issue was raised during last week's visit by Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew (
"The Ministry of National Defense was unhappy with the decision that Singapore is to move its training bases to China's Hainan Island," he said.
"But we are still not sure if they want a partial pullout, a downgrade of the program, or a scrapping of the entire one," he said.
Under a military-cooperation program known as "Operation Hsing Kuang" (Starlight), Singapore has operated three military training camps in Taiwan since 1975.
DPP Legislator Peter Lin (林進興) confirmed the move.
"Some sort of decision has already been made although the government has made last-ditch efforts" to persuade Singapore not to move the training facilities, Lin told reporters.
He declined to provide details "for the sake of national interest."
Lin warned earlier this year that China had offered to provide Singapore with military training facilities as part of Beijing's attempt to sabotage the city-state's ties with Taiwan.
The issue was first unveiled by London-based Jane's Defense Weekly last year.
The publication said Singapore had been reluctant to accept the offer, the first to a foreign country by China, for fear of changing its arrangement with Taiwan.
Lee visited Taiwan for four days last week after a trip to Beijing. He met with President Chen Shui-bian (
Taiwan sent air force and naval officers to Singapore during the city state's early years of independence after 1965.
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