Malaysia Encourages China's SASTIND To Lead Bigger Participation Of Defence Players In Next DSA

By Samantha Tan BEIJING, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's Defence Ministry has encouraged China's State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND) to lead a bigger participation of defence industry leaders and companies to the biennial Defence Services Asia Exhibition and Conference (DSA) in Kuala Lumpur from April 18-21 next year. Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is currently in the capital for a working visit in conjunction with the China-ASEAN Defence Ministers' Informal Meeting and the sixth Xiangshan Forum from Oct 14-17. In the discussion with SASTIND today, he said he highlighted several potential areas of cooperation expected to strengthen and promote synergies in the field of science, technology and industry for national defence between the two countries. "This was to follow up on the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence that was signed by me and Xu Dazhe, witnessed by the prime ministers of both Malaysia and China in May 2014," he said in a statement Thursday. Later during the visit, Hishammuddin also met with Central Military Commission Vice-Chairman, General Fan Changlong and State Councillor and Minister of National Defence of China, General Chang Wanquan. He said during the meeting, he conveyed Malaysia was pleased with the development in defence exchanges between Malaysia and China since 2013, including the successful conduct of the first joint millitary exercise, 'Peace and Frienship' between Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) from Sept 17-22 this year. "A total of 1,995 participants and 28 combined assets of MAF and PLA were involved in the exercise. Both sides pledged to strengthen and encourage further exchanges between the defence establishments," he added. Hishammuddin said at the sixth Xiangshan Forum, he would be speaking on 'Asia-Pacific Security Threats: Opportunities and Challenges' during the first plenary session, together with the defence ministers of Russia, Singapore and Cambodia, and former United States chief of naval operation. --BERNAMA