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ExclusiveChinese and UK officials at Shangri-La Dialogue vow to strengthen military ties
Major General Meng Xiangqing invites British military officials to Xiangshan Forum and Zhuhai air show in China
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Amber Wangin SingaporePublished: 8:30pm, 29 May 2026Updated: 8:37pm, 29 May 2026China and British delegations discussed concrete plans to strengthen military engagement during talks on Friday on the sidelines of a major security event in Singapore.Major General Meng Xiangqing, who led the Chinese delegation to Asia’s largest defence summit, the Shangri-La Dialogue, met United Kingdom military officials, signalling both militaries’ willingness to maintain communication.
Meng, a professor at the PLA National Defence University, told the British officials that military-to-military relations were an important component of China-UK ties, adding that “relations between the two militaries have developed steadily in recent years”.
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The Chinese delegation taking part in the bilateral talks also included Senior Colonel Liu Wanxia, a professor at the National Defence University. The UK side included Royal Air Force official Dom Stamp.
Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun did not attend the forum for a second consecutive year.Advertisement
Meng noted that then UK Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Tony Radakin’s visit to China last year helped advance bilateral relations. It marked the first visit by the head of the British Armed Forces to China in a decade.
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