It was a reunion of sorts on the third day of Chinese New Year when the military vehicles that were impounded by Hong Kong for months finally returned into the arms of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
Their return is a welcomed closure to a diplomatic row that also involved China, which has sovereignty over Hong Kong. Since Nov 23 last year, nine Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICVs) and other equipment were seized by Hong Kong customs while in transit from military exercises in Taiwan. China considers Taiwan a renegade island awaiting reunification, and wasn’t too happy about Singapore’s military relationship with Taiwan.
The vehicles arrived yesterday afternoon around 2.40pm, and have since been transported to an SAF camp for “post-training administration”. Heck knows what potentially shady things the Terrex vehicles underwent during the detention, and the SAF will be conducting “thorough serviceability checks and routine maintenance.”
Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen, who has been at the centre of the politically tense muddle for months, couldn’t be happier about the return of SAF’s property.
