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No 'formal reasons' for SAF vehicle seizure after 3 meetings over 19 hours

This Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016 photo shows nine eight-wheeled Singapore-made Terrex infantry carrier vehicles seized at a container terminal in Hong Kong. Singapore's army is sending a team to Hong Kong to secure the nine of its armored personnel carriers that were seized by customs authorities while in transit through the southern Chinese territory, the Defense Ministry said Friday, Nov. 25. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
This Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016 photo shows nine eight-wheeled Singapore-made Terrex infantry carrier vehicles seized at a container terminal in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

After three meetings in the past week between container shipping firm APL and Hong Kong Customs that lasted a total of 19 hours, there are still no “formal reasons” given for the seizure of nine Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Terrex infantry carrier vehicles (ICVs) in the Chinese territory.

Singapore’s Ministry of Defence said in a media release that a third meeting was held on Tuesday (6 December) from 10am to 4pm.

“The SAF has advised APL officials to continue to extend their full cooperation to the Hong Kong Customs in order to expedite the return of the SAF’s Terrex ICVs,” Mindef added.

The two previous meetings between APL and Hong Kong Customs were held on 29 November and 1 December, which lasted seven hours and six hours, respectively.

APL had been contracted to transport the Terrex ICVs and associated equipment from Taiwan to Singapore. The vehicles were confiscated during a routine inspection at Hong Kong’s Kwai Chung Terminal, during a stopover.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen has said that Mindef will begin proceedings to recover the troop carriers after the reasons for the seizure are established.

On 28 November, Beijing lodged an official diplomatic complaint with Singapore over its long-standing military ties with Taiwan. Singapore has sent its troops to Taiwan for training since the 1970s.