The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) has spoken out\nregarding the Passing Exercise (Passex) between the Indonesian Navy\nwarship KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332 and a Chinese warship in the\nAsia-Pacific region.<\/p>\n
Kemlu spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang stressed that the activity was a\nlimited exercise and not a combat drill. She added that Passex is a\ncommon practice between navies when ships pass through a region.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom Indonesia\u2019s perspective, the activity was purely a passing\nexercise (Passex), a common and professional interaction between\nwarships while transiting international shipping lanes on the return\njourney to Indonesia, not a combat drill,\u201d she said during a Kemlu press\nbriefing on Thursday (13\/8\/2026).<\/p>\n
According to Yvonne, the activity was part of Indonesia\u2019s maritime\ndiplomacy to build communication and trust with partner countries. She\nstressed that defence interactions with various countries, including\nChina, Russia, the United States and Japan, were not intended as a\nbalancing effort or alignment with any particular bloc.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not see any fundamental contradiction in terminology.\nIndonesia\u2019s focus is on maintaining maritime communication and\nfriendship,\u201d Yvonne said.<\/p>\n
Kemlu also denied any change in Indonesia\u2019s foreign policy posture,\nwhich some have suggested is increasingly leaning towards China as a\nresult of the activity. Yvonne stressed that Indonesia continues to\nuphold its \u2018free and active\u2019 foreign policy principle while maintaining\nthe One China Policy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has been no change in Indonesia\u2019s foreign policy posture.\nIndonesia remains consistent in firmly upholding the free and active\nprinciple and the One China Policy, and does not take sides in regional\ngeopolitical tensions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Previously, questions arose regarding the narrative from the Chinese\nside, which described the activity as including drills or exercises,\ndiffering from Indonesia\u2019s explanation of it as a limited Passex. Kemlu\nstated that the difference in terminology does not change Indonesia\u2019s\nfocus on maintaining communication and good relations between\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Yvonne stressed that defence cooperation with many countries is part\nof Indonesia\u2019s efforts to build trust in the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaritime diplomacy through Passex is a form of routine interaction\nbetween navies to open communication and build trust, not to balance or\nside with any particular bloc,\u201d she said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/foreign-ministry-clarifies-indonesia-china-naval-exercise-1786614769", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }