Indonesia neutrality tested by joint naval drill with China

On August 12 an Indonesian frigate briefly joined a naval exercise with China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in waters off Taiwan's east coast, with Taipei asking Jakarta for a reason why it joined the drill.

Indonesian Navy frigate KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai joined the PLAN guided-missile frigate Honghe for what Jakarta described as a "passing exercise." The maneuvers took place during Taiwan's annual Han Kuang military drill.

An Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said that they were fully aware that the exercise's location "made it particularly sensitive," but stressed that its vessel's presence "was simply part of its transit route back to Indonesia." According to the Taipei Times , the Indonesian vessel was returning from Vladivostok, Russia after an exercise with the Russian navy.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council condemned Beijing's "provocation" after China announced the drill on August 11. Taipei also requested "further details from the Indonesian government" from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Beijing considers Taiwan to be Chinese territory and has vowed to "reunite" the self-ruled island with the mainland, by using force if necessary . Especially after former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in 2022, the PLA has ratcheted up pressure on Taiwan with frequent military exercises around the island.

Amid reactions from Taipei and Washington, the Indonesian Navy stated that its activities with the Chinese Navy were "not warfighting activities in nature" and "not intended as combat training."

Ying-Yu Lin, an associate professor at Taiwan's Tamkang University Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, told DW that the PLA exercise with Indonesia had little tactical significance.

"It wasn't as practical as a joint maritime drill, but China wanted to claim its capability in the waters," he said.