← Daily Brief
South China Sea
Military Diplomacy
Brunei's Sultan meets with Chinese defense minister
China Military Online (EN)
29 July 2026
View original source ↗
Summary
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah received Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Bandar Seri Begawan on July 28, with Hassanal explicitly welcoming more PLAN port calls and Dong proposing expanded maritime security cooperation in the South China Sea. The meeting documents Beijing's use of bilateral defense diplomacy to cultivate a claimant state — Brunei holds overlapping South China Sea claims — as a partner rather than a challenger, a pattern that fits China's broader effort to disaggregate ASEAN unity on maritime disputes. Whether the port-call invitation reflects any concrete basing or logistics arrangement, or remains aspirational, is not established by this readout.
Translation
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah met with visiting Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun here on Tuesday. Hassanal reaffirmed Brunei's firm commitment to the one-China policy, expressed appreciation for China's support for ASEAN centrality, and extended thanks to China for its assistance to Brunei's efforts to realize its national vision, Wawasan 2035. Emphasizing that defense cooperation serves as a key pillar of the two countries' strategic cooperative partnership, he said Brunei looks forward to more port calls by the Chinese Navy. For his part, Dong noted that China-Brunei military cooperation now faces important development opportunities, urging the two sides to build on the positive momentum to elevate all-dimensional cooperation, and deliver more tangible outcomes to contribute to building a China-Brunei community with a shared future and opening new prospects for bilateral relations. Stressing that peace in the South China Sea bears on the common interests of all regional countries, Dong said that China stands ready to strengthen practical cooperation with Brunei in maritime security and other relevant fields to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the region.
Original text
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah met with visiting Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun here on Tuesday. Hassanal reaffirmed Brunei's firm commitment to the one-China policy, expressed appreciation for China's support for ASEAN centrality, and extended thanks to China for its assistance to Brunei's efforts to realize its national vision, Wawasan 2035. Emphasizing that defense cooperation serves as a key pillar of the two countries' strategic cooperative partnership, he said Brunei looks forward to more port calls by the Chinese Navy. For his part, Dong noted that China-Brunei military cooperation now faces important development opportunities, urging the two sides to build on the positive momentum to elevate all-dimensional cooperation, and deliver more tangible outcomes to contribute to building a China-Brunei community with a shared future and opening new prospects for bilateral relations. Stressing that peace in the South China Sea bears on the common interests of all regional countries, Dong said that China stands ready to strengthen practical cooperation with Brunei in maritime security and other relevant fields to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the region.
China Mil Watch
Mandarin-source monitoring · Chinese military & security reporting