Chinese Navy to Visit Surabaya
Beijing (ANTARA) - The People’s Liberation Army Navy of China will visit Surabaya to fulfil an invitation from the Indonesian Navy in August 2026.
“In early August, at the invitation of the Indonesian Navy, a task force from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy, consisting of the ships Qi Jiguang and Kunlunshan, will visit Surabaya, Indonesia,” stated Chinese Ministry of Defence spokesperson Jiang Bin during a press conference in Beijing on Thursday.
Jiang Bin noted that in recent years, the Chinese and Indonesian Navies have continued to expand their cooperation. “This cooperation includes joint exercises and warship visits, which encourages the relationship between the two navies to become increasingly deep and concrete,” Jiang Bin added.
Since 21 April 2<0xA0>2025, the Indonesian and Chinese governments have established a comprehensive strategic dialogue mechanism, including security cooperation through the 2+2 mechanism, involving meetings between foreign and defence ministers. During these meetings, Indonesian Defence Minister Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin stated that Indonesia’s security cooperation with China is based on the principles of mutual benefit and inclusivity.
“This cooperation is conducted in a spirit of mutual benefit and inclusivity, particularly in the fields of defence and security,” said Minister Sjafrie.
At that time, maritime and sea security cooperation was also signed between the China Coast Guard and the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun revealed that China-Indonesia defence cooperation has a strong foundation and is developing well. “Moving forward, we will expand cooperation in various fields, including strategic communication, military exchanges, defence technology, and maritime security,” Dong Jun stated in April 2025.
Based on agreed annual plans, this cooperation includes joint exercises for air and land forces to enhance the capacity and readiness of both forces for unforeseen situations. The Indonesian Navy and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy last conducted the “Heping Garuda 2024” joint exercise in Jakarta in December 2024. Additionally, the PLA Navy participated in the 5th Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) in Bali in February 2025 and the ASEAN Plus Cadet Sail 2025 for cadets from the Chinese Naval Academy.
These exercises include passing exercises where warships from each country encounter one another during friendly visits to Indonesian or Chinese waters. In terms of academy cadet cooperation, the Kartika Jala Krida Training Unit (Satlat KJK) 2026, utilising the KRI Bima Suci, also visited the Wusong Naval Base in Shanghai from 25–28 May 2026. The KRI Bima Suci, carrying 79 cadets from the 73rd class of the Indonesian Naval Academy, engaged in several activities, including courtesy visits to the Commander of the Wusong Naval Base, deck receptions, and cultural performances.
Previously, on 21 September 2023, the MV Qi Jiguang Hull-83 docked in Surabaya, East Java, for a dinner hosted by the then-Commander of the Indonesian Navy’s Doctrine, Education, and Training Command (Dankodiklatal), Lt. Gen. Marine Suhartono. The training ship, measuring 163 metres in length and 22 metres in width, was commanded by SCAPT Yao Zuoqing and carried 100 Chinese naval cadets during its three-day visit from 17–20 September 2023 as part of the ongoing cooperation between the two navies.