The two vessels, believed to be of the Singaporean navy's "Victory" class, had docked at the port for at least two days, an AFP correspondent in Kaohsiung said.

Military sources said the two boats had completed routine drills with the Taiwanese navy.

The visit comes after a Taiwanese naval flotilla of three vessels quietly set sail recently for Singapore and three South Pacific states on a training mission.

But some politicians are worried that Singapore's historically close links with the Taiwanese military could be under threat from Chinese overtures.

Singapore recognises Beijing but maintains friendly relations with Taiwan, which China regards as part of its territory awaiting reunification.

China is trying to woo Singapore's military by providing it with training facilities on the tropical island of Hainan, south of Hong Kong, according to Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

"Singaporean troops being trained here told us they would not come here next year," DPP parliamentarian Peter Lin told AFP after several DPP members issued a statement this week detailing the alleged Chinese initiative.

Lin said "it was part of Beijing's bid to further squeeze Taiwan internationally".

Singapore has since 1975 operated three training camps in Taiwan, whose air force and navy sent officers to the city-state in the years after its independence in 1965.

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