US supports Singapore's offer to host regional centre for humanitarian aid and disaster relief

SINGAPORE - US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has backed Singapore's proposal of establishing a Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre at the Changi Command and Control Centre, said the Ministry of Defence today.

Mr Hagel first expressed his support for the centre when he met Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on the sidelines of the 13th Shangri-La Dialogue yesterday.

He reiterated his stance when he spoke at the opening plenary session of the dialogue today, saying "Asean member states should consider Singapore's offer to use Changi Naval Base as another regional command and control hub".

At the sidelines of the dialogue, Dr Ng met with Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army Wang Guanzhong, with whom he discussed regional security. They both a common desire for regional peace and stability, and for tensions to be de-escalated.

Dr Ng also met with Indonesia's Minister of Defence Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Japan's Minister of Defense Itsunori Onodera, South Korea's Minister of National Defense Kim Kwan-jin, the UK's Secretary of State for Defence Philip Hammond and ministers of the Five Power Defence Arrangements.