The government of Singapore remained firm in their stand on the One China policy amid repeated requests from China. The requests were forwarded and China said that this was necessary for the release of two armored vehicles held in Hong Kong.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said during a press briefing, "We hope Singapore can cooperate with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to handle the follow-up issues and take warning from the incident."
In Nov. 2016, nine special army forces vehicles from Singapore were taken by the Hong Kong customs. These were vehicles used during military exercises between the military forces of Singapore and Taiwan.
According to the website of the Ministry of Defense of Singapore, "the Singapore Government has communicated its formal position to the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) on the detention of SAF Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles and associated equipment by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department. We await a full resolution of this matter and return of our property by the Hong Kong SAR Government."
The customs department committed to returning the vehicles.
"The military vehicles and the associated equipment will be returned to Singapore through the carrier, while the investigation might lead to criminal prosecution," said Commissioner of Hong Kong Customs and Excise Roy Tang Yun-Kwong.
He added that while the investigation on the vehicles is finished, punishment will be given to those involved.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense has maintained that they will abide by their government's stance on the One China Policy and will continue with their bilateral partnership with Taiwan.
Singapore's foreign affairs minister Vivian Balakrishnan said that both countries are still in good terms.
She said: "One thing in Chinese culture is you never forget your old friends, people who were there with you in the beginning, people who were there with you through thick and thin, and surely in Chinese culture you appreciate this concept of loyalty to old friends. And at the same time, you know full well where I stand, that I believe in One China and we will not deviate from that."