China announces joint military exercises with Indonesia in waters east of Taiwan

The Chinese Navy announced this Wednesday that it will carry out joint exercises with Indonesia in mid-August in waters east of Taiwan, maneuvers for which Taipei has accused Beijing of “military provocation” by pretending to exercise jurisdiction over the island’s eastern waters.

The Chinese Ministry of Defense has detailed that the exercises, which will take place in mid-August, will involve the participation of the Honghe frigate, type 054A, of the Chinese Navy and the KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai frigate, of the Indonesian Navy, focusing on communications and replenishment on the high seas.

“The exercise aims to improve the capabilities of both navies to carry out joint operations, deepen practical cooperation and contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region,” the statement said.

However, the Indonesian Navy has tried to minimize the exercises, alluding that they are routine “transit” maneuvers together with other countries along their route back to the country from the Russian port of Vladivostok (east).

“This exercise is also a gesture of goodwill usually carried out by navies around the world as a manifestation of the naval brotherhood and maritime diplomacy inherent to warships,” detailed Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Tunggul.

For its part, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry has indicated in a statement that it has asked Indonesia for explanations for actions that it considers “malicious, irresponsible and unilateral,” by generating “instability and threats in the region.”

“Taiwan will maintain its consistent stance of safeguarding its territory, actively protect its sovereignty and sovereign rights in the South China Sea, and work with all parties in the region to jointly ensure freedom of navigation and regional security and stability in relevant waters,” he said.

Likewise, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has explained that these maneuvers constitute “political manipulation” with the objective “of creating the illusion in the international community that the Communist Party of China has jurisdiction over the waters east of Taiwan, seriously infringing on Taiwan’s national sovereignty and maritime rights.”

Relations between Beijing and Taipei were suspended in 1949, after the forces of the Chinese nationalist Kuomintang party, led by Chiang Kai Shek, suffered a defeat in the civil war against the Communist Party of China and moved to the island of Taiwan, a territory that Beijing considers another province under its territory.