SINGAPORE, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Singapore and Australia signed here on Sunday the new Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the sidelines of the eighth Asia Security Summit.

    The new MOA allows the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to continue training at the SWBTA till 2019. The vast and challenging terrain at the SWBTA enables the SAF to hone its operational readiness through tough and realistic training.

    The MOA was signed by Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Teo Chee Hean and the Australian Minister for Defense Joel Fitzgibbon, who in Singapore for the annual Asia Security Summit, which is held from May 29 to 31.

    The summit brings together about 22 ministerial-level guests, along with parliamentarians, military leaders and security experts from more than 27 countries and regions for discussions on regional security issues and defense cooperation.