I (Minister for Defence: Kevin Andrews) will visit Singapore from 28-31 May 2015 with the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, to attend the 14th annual Shangri-La Dialogue. This is my first visit to Singapore as Defence Minister.
The Shangri-La Dialogue is the foremost gathering of Defence leaders in the Indo-Pacific; bringing together Defence Ministers, Service Chiefs, senior defence officials, industry representatives and academics.
This forum is an opportunity for Defence Ministers and Defence Chiefs from around the world to discuss critical security challenges affecting the Indo-Pacific region and promote the value of building defence relationships through practical cooperation.
Twenty-nine nations are expected to attend the Dialogue, including representatives from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Malaysia, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States and many others.
I look forward to meeting with counterparts and participating in productive discussions over the next few days. I have been asked to give the opening address for the final plenary session, Global Security Challenges and the Asia-Pacific: Building Cooperation between Regions.
I will also participate in the fifth Australia-Japan-United States Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting during the course of the Dialogue.
This meeting will discuss enhancements to trilateral defence cooperation between Australia, Japan and the United States on regional security challenges, including maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.