Foreign Ministry Clarifies Indonesia-China Naval Exercise

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) has spoken out regarding the Passing Exercise (Passex) between the Indonesian Navy warship KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332 and a Chinese warship in the Asia-Pacific region.

Kemlu spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang stressed that the activity was a limited exercise and not a combat drill. She added that Passex is a common practice between navies when ships pass through a region.

“From Indonesia’s perspective, the activity was purely a passing exercise (Passex), a common and professional interaction between warships while transiting international shipping lanes on the return journey to Indonesia, not a combat drill,” she said during a Kemlu press briefing on Thursday (13/8/2026).

According to Yvonne, the activity was part of Indonesia’s maritime diplomacy to build communication and trust with partner countries. She stressed that defence interactions with various countries, including China, Russia, the United States and Japan, were not intended as a balancing effort or alignment with any particular bloc.

“We do not see any fundamental contradiction in terminology. Indonesia’s focus is on maintaining maritime communication and friendship,” Yvonne said.

Kemlu also denied any change in Indonesia’s foreign policy posture, which some have suggested is increasingly leaning towards China as a result of the activity. Yvonne stressed that Indonesia continues to uphold its ‘free and active’ foreign policy principle while maintaining the One China Policy.

“There has been no change in Indonesia’s foreign policy posture. Indonesia remains consistent in firmly upholding the free and active principle and the One China Policy, and does not take sides in regional geopolitical tensions,” she said.

Previously, questions arose regarding the narrative from the Chinese side, which described the activity as including drills or exercises, differing from Indonesia’s explanation of it as a limited Passex. Kemlu stated that the difference in terminology does not change Indonesia’s focus on maintaining communication and good relations between countries.

Yvonne stressed that defence cooperation with many countries is part of Indonesia’s efforts to build trust in the region.

“Maritime diplomacy through Passex is a form of routine interaction between navies to open communication and build trust, not to balance or side with any particular bloc,” she said.