China's Defence Minister Dong Jun will meet Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean during his introductory visit to the country.

He will also be attending the Shangri-La Dialogue during his visit, which runs from Thursday (May 30) to Sunday, the Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF) said in a news release.

Mr Dong was welcomed by a guard of honour at MINDEF on Thursday morning before co-chairing the third Singapore-China Defence Ministers’ Dialogue with Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen.

During the dialogue, Mr Dong and Dr Ng reaffirmed the "positive momentum in the bilateral defence relationship, demonstrated through regular high-level exchanges, military-to-military interactions, and growing academic exchanges between the defence establishments".

"Both sides also expressed support for the conduct of the sixth edition of Exercise Cooperation between the Armies and the third edition of Exercise Maritime Cooperation between the Navies in China this year," MINDEF said.

"Such exercises allow both sides to strengthen professional and people-to-people ties, as well as enhance mutual trust and understanding. Both Ministers also exchanged views on global and regional security issues."

Mr Dong will also visit Changi Naval Base, where he will visit the Republic of Singapore Navy’s Formidable-class frigate RSS Steadfast as well as the Singapore Navy Museum.

MINDEF noted that the navy's Formidable-class frigates have exercised with the People’s Liberation Army Navy on multiple occasions, most recently in 2023.

Mr Dong’s visit "underscores the longstanding, warm and friendly bilateral defence relations between Singapore and China", MINDEF said.

He is also due to speak at a plenary session titled China’s Approach to Global Security on Sunday during the Shangri-La Dialogue.