Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen is in New Zealand today to commemorate the 20th anniversary of an annual live-firing exercise involving artillery units from Singapore.

Besides visiting Exercise Thunder Warrior in the Waiouru Training Area, which is in the North Island, Dr Ng is expected to meet New Zealand's Minister of Defence Gerry Brownlee.

Under an inaugural Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers' Meeting, the two leaders will discuss regional security issues and bilateral defence cooperation.

Singapore's Defence Ministry (Mindef) said yesterday that Exercise Thunder Warrior, which has been held since 1997, and the establishment of an annual Defence Ministers' meeting "underscore the close and longstanding defence relationship between both countries".

Dr Ng will be accompanied by Chief of Air Force Mervyn Tan, Chief of Army Melvyn Ong and other Mindef and Singapore Armed Forces officials during his visit.

Adrian Lim