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SAF team en route to Hong Kong over seized armoured vehicles: MINDEF

Photo: South China Morning Post
Photo: South China Morning Post

*UPDATE, 25 November 2016, 8.40pm: Story has been updated to include a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry*

A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) team is en route to Hong Kong in a bid to resolve the issue of nine armoured vehicles that were seized in the territory on Wednesday (23 Nov).

The Singapore Consulate General in Hong Kong will also provide assistance on the matter, said a Ministry of Defence (Mindef) spokesman, who added that the vehicles are training platforms with no ammunition or sensitive equipment on board.

Nine Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICV) were confiscated at the Kwai Chung Container Terminal. They had arrived on a vessel from Taiwan and were bound for the Republic.

The Mindef spokesman revealed that APL was contracted as the commercial shipping line to transport the Terrex ICVs and associated equipment to Singapore.

APL was required to comply with all regulations. This included the declaration of transported equipment in the ship’s cargo manifest, as well as obtaining the necessary permits required to transit through ports.

During the transit through Hong Kong, customs officials raised queries on whether the necessary permits and declarations by APL were in order, and in the process detained the Terrex ICVs.

APL officials are working with Hong Kong authorities to resolve the issue.

The Mindef spokesman noted that all commercial shipping lines used by Singapore’s military are required to comply with stringent requirements for protection against theft and tampering of equipment during the shipment, in addition to applying for all relevant permits.

These requirements have worked well and there have been no incidents of losses, theft or tampering over the years, he said. SAF will also review the circumstances of this incident and determine if added measures are required to prevent such occurrences.

According to a Straits Times report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang also commented on the situation during a routine press briefing on Friday, saying that, “All people and goods entering Hong Kong Special Administrative Region should follow the laws of the SAR.”

“I’d like to reiterate that the Chinese government firmly opposes any of the countries that has diplomatic ties with us to have any form of official exchanges with Taiwan, including defence exchanges and cooperation,” he said.