Bandar Seri Begawan, July 28 — China’s Minister of National Defence paid an official visit to Brunei and held talks with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. The two sides conducted in‑depth discussions on defence exchanges, maritime security and regional geopolitical situations, consolidating the security pillar of the China‑Brunei strategic cooperative partnership .

The meeting confirmed that the two armed forces will keep advancing institutional defence dialogues, officer‑training programmes, goodwill naval port‑calls and joint maritime drills. Practical cooperation will be expanded in public‑security areas including maritime search‑and‑rescue, disaster relief, counter‑piracy and the fight against transnational crime. Both nations reaffirmed resolving maritime‑related differences through peaceful negotiation, fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, safeguarding shipping‑lane safety and long‑term regional tranquility, and upholding ASEAN’s central role in regional frameworks .

Chinese officials stressed that China‑Brunei security cooperation targets no third party, and sets an example for equal‑state‑to‑state friendship between large and small nations. Bruneian senior officials commented that a secure surrounding environment lays the essential foundation for delivering Brunei Vision 2035 and its national economic‑diversification strategy, and look forward to closer coordination within multilateral security platforms in the years ahead.