China files protest with Singapore over joint exercise with Taiwan

China has protested to Singapore over military maneuvers conducted earlier between the city-state and Taiwan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on Monday that Beijing has filed a formal complaint to Singapore for “any form of official exchanges with Taiwan, including military exchanges and cooperation.”

Nine armored troop carriers belonging to Singapore, which were being shipped back from Taiwan after the exercises, were held in Hong Kong last week.

Singapore’s Defense Ministry has said the shipment of Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles and other Singaporean military equipment has been held in Hong Kong since last Wednesday due to a “request for routine inspections” by customs.

It confirmed that the armored vehicles had been used in military exercises.

Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway region belonging to Chinese territory.

Singapore and Taiwan have a decades-long military agreement codenamed “Project Starlight,” under which Singaporean troops train in Taiwan alongside Taipei’s forces.

Singapore has military ties with China as well and conducted a joint military exercise with Beijing in 2014.

Chinese state media have described Singapore’s military cooperation with both China and Taiwan as “hypocrisy.”

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