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Taiwan denies suspension of military exchange with with Singapore

ROC Central News Agency

2012/02/27 15:48:24

By Emmanuelle Tzeng and Elaine Hou

Taipei, Feb. 27 (CNA) The defense ministry said Monday that Taiwan maintains stable ties with Singapore, denying a local report that bilateral military exchanges have been suspended by Singapore.

The Chinese-language United Daily News reported earlier in the day that the Singaporean government decided to suspend military cooperation with Taiwan to show strong dissatisfaction over the Taiwanese media exposure of a recent visit by Taiwan's Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu there.

Both sides had agreed to keep Kao's visit to Singapore low profile, the report said.

The ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Luo Shou-he dismissed the report as "not true." Military cooperation between Taiwan and Singapore has not been halted, he added.

The report also said that due to Singapore's discontent, Lt. Gen. Wang Ming-wo, acting director of the ministry's Political Warfare Bureau, had to cancel his visit to Singapore scheduled for this week.

Luo, however, said it is normal to rearrange "some activities to meet the needs of both sides," emphasizing bilateral ties remain stable.

"We cherish our relationship with Singapore," Luo said. "We also expect to strengthen bilateral exchanges."

Luo's remarks came amid recent media speculation that the recent reassignment of Taiwan's representative to Singapore, Vanessa Shih, was related to Shih's actions that angered Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew and other high-ranking officials.

These reported actions included singing Taiwan's national anthem and hanging the national flag at a public reception celebrating the Republic of China's centennial, and making contact with Singapore's opposition party.

Singapore formally recognizes China, not Taiwan. Though Taiwan maintains strong trade relations with the city-state, political issues remain sensitive.

Foreign Minister Timothy Yang confirmed Monday that Shih will return to Taiwan Feb. 29.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described Shih's reassignment to the ministry's headquarters in Taipei as a "normal personnel change."

Taiwan values its relationship with Singapore, Yang said, adding that the ministry is currently in talks with the Singaporean government on Taiwan's new envoy to Singapore.

He also believes that both sides are willing to enhance cooperation and communicate with each other to maintain a good relationship.