China and Singapore to Hold Joint Military Exercises in Strengthened Defence Partnership

China and Singapore will hold a joint military exercise, their first combined drills since 2021, as Beijing deepens its defence and security ties with Southeast Asia, a region with strong existing U.S. alliances. The exercise comes at a time of heightened tensions in the South China Sea, an area often traversed by Western navies including U.S. vessels conducting freedom of navigation operations. China's increased military engagement in Southeast Asia is widely expected to challenge the influence that the United States has shaped with countries including Singapore and Indonesia in coming years.