Foreign Ministry: Joint Indonesia-China Naval Drill Part of Maritime Diplomacy
The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has affirmed that the joint exercise between the Indonesian Navy and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy is part of maritime diplomacy and bilateral defence cooperation.
“For Indonesia, such interactions are part of maritime diplomacy. The sea is not only a space that connects countries, but also a space for building cooperation and mutual trust,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang during a media briefing in Jakarta on Thursday.
She said that the passing exercise conducted by KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332 with the Chinese Navy vessel Honghe is a common practice carried out by navies of various countries when their warships pass through the maritime territory of another country.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the joint exercise was very limited in nature and was not intended as a combat drill.
“A passing exercise is not a combat exercise,” she stressed.
Yvonne assured that the exercise between Indonesia and China is in line with the free and active foreign policy, in keeping with Indonesia’s efforts to foster cooperation and constructive relations with various partner countries.
Such exercises, she said, are also a form of professional interaction between the Indonesian Navy and the navies of friendly countries, in this case the Chinese Navy.
China’s Ministry of National Defence previously said the joint exercise with the Indonesian Navy was completed on Wednesday morning local time, with all exercise material carried out in the sea east of Taiwan Island facing the Pacific Ocean and the Philippine Sea.
On the Chinese Ministry of National Defence website accessed by ANTARA on Thursday, it was stated that the Honghe and KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332 formed a ship formation and carried out exercises including communication at sea, ship formation manoeuvres, replenishment at sea, and a formation separation ceremony.
Meanwhile, Head of the Indonesian Navy Information Service, First Admiral Tunggul, said the passing exercise between Indonesia and China reflects the friendship between the two navies.
“A passing exercise is a goodwill engagement commonly carried out by the world’s navies as a form of naval brotherhood and maritime diplomacy inherent to warships,” said Tunggul.
The exercise took place during the return voyage of KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332 to Indonesia after completing a joint exercise with the Russian Navy in Vladivostok.