(AseanAll)  — On May 27,2025, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II received a courtesy call from Xiao Jianguo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam.

During the call, both sides expressed delight on the warm and friendly defence relations between Brunei Darussalam and the People’s Republic of China, which was further enhanced through the conduct of the 2nd Joint Defence Working Committee (JDWC) Meeting held in Beijing on 14 May 2025. 

Both sides expressed confidence in the co-chairmanship of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations for the 2024-2027 cycle. 

Also present at the courtesy call were Yang Mulia Awang Ajman Bin Haji Meludin, Permanent Secretary (Civil Service Governance) at the Prime Minister’s Office, Yang Mulia Dayang Hajah Farida binti Dato Seri Paduka Haji Talib, Permanent Secretary (Energy) at the Prime Minister’s Office and Yang Mulia Brigadier General (Retired) Dato Seri Pahlawan Alirupendi bin Haji Perudin, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence. 

Brunei Darussalam and the People’s Republic of China established diplomatic relations on 20 September 1991. Defence relations between both countries was further deepened with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation on 12 September 2003.