A Brief Naval Encounter Raises Questions
On August 12, an Indonesian frigate briefly joined a naval exercise with China's People's Liberation Army Navy in waters off Taiwan's east coast, according to a report by Deutsche Welle. The Indonesian Navy frigate KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai joined the PLAN guided-missile frigate Honghe for what Jakarta described as a "passing exercise." The maneuvers took place during Taiwan's annual Han Kuang military drill.
An Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said they were fully aware that the exercise's location "made it particularly sensitive," but stressed that its vessel's presence "was simply part of its transit route back to Indonesia." According to the Taipei Times, as cited by Deutsche Welle, the Indonesian vessel was returning from Vladivostok, Russia after an exercise with the Russian navy.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council condemned Beijing's "provocation" after China announced the drill on August 11. Taipei also requested "further details from the Indonesian government" from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Beijing considers Taiwan to be Chinese territory and has vowed to "reunite" the self-ruled island with the mainland, by using force if necessary. The People's Liberation Army has ratcheted up pressure on Taiwan with frequent military exercises around the island, especially since former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in 2022.
Jakarta's Response and Regional Context
The Indonesian Navy stated that its activities with the Chinese Navy were "not warfighting activities in nature" and "not intended as combat training." This explanation came amid reactions from Taipei and Washington, according to Deutsche Welle.
China and Indonesia's recent joint naval exercise east of Taiwan has prompted speculation that other Southeast Asian countries may follow suit, as reported by the South China Morning Post. The drill – which one observer said may "lower the political threshold" for neighbouring countries – was followed by a meeting of the two countries' foreign and defence ministers on Friday, where they discussed further military cooperation and a range of other topics, such as food security.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Indonesia was a priority for China's foreign policy in Southeast Asia and both countries needed to strengthen strategic communication and co-ordination. The so-called 2+2 mechanism with Indonesia was set up in 2023 and has served as the model for similar arrangements with Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand, a treaty ally of the United States.
"We will jointly oppose unilateral bullying and power politics. We must also remain vigilant against attempts in the region to challenge the victorious outcomes in World War II and turn back the wheel of history. We should safeguard international fairness and justice, as well as the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries," Wang said. His Indonesian counterpart, Sugiono, said the two sides discussed strengthening food, energy and mineral security and advanced technology such as artificial intelligence.
Experts Weigh In on Neutrality and Tactics
Analysts offered contrasting views on the significance of the exercise. Ying-Yu Lin, an associate professor at Taiwan's Tamkang University Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, told Deutsche Welle that the Chinese exercise with Indonesia had little tactical significance. "It wasn't as practical as a joint maritime drill, but China wanted to claim its capability in the waters," Lin said.
Ratih Kabinawa, a visiting research fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs focusing on Taiwan-Indonesia ties, told Deutsche Welle that regardless of the significance of the drills, Indonesia should have expected some reaction from Taiwan. Kabinawa added that passing exercises were among the lowest-level naval activities yet used by China to justify its intimidation of Taiwan.
Indonesia has stood by its "free and active" foreign policy for over half a century. Yet the timing of the exercise drew attention: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met with Elbridge Colby, a US undersecretary of defense, in Jakarta on the same day as the controversial passing exercise with China. Prabowo also visits Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, and Jakarta has shown willingness to accept US requests for blanket overflights.
Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, told Deutsche Welle that Indonesia's neutral stance is a product of pressure from superpowers. "The principle of free and active foreign policy wouldn't change much, but we'll wait and see how Jakarta operates it," Chong said.
Researcher Kabinawa said the current Indonesian administration lacks clear guidelines for interpreting its foreign policy amid intensifying geopolitical tension, especially across the Taiwan Strait. However, Kabinawa said it would be unlikely for Indonesia to be involved in any Chinese invasion scenario of Taiwan. "I would always remind everyone that there are 350,000 Indonesian citizens in Taiwan who need to be protected or maybe evacuated if that hypothetical scenario happens," Kabinawa said. According to Taiwan's official data, Indonesians are the largest group of foreign residents in the country. "So I don't think Indonesia would get involved in being a combatant, but rather involved in trying to evacuate their citizens. That would risk the political and economic stability of the country [Indonesia] itself," Kabinawa added.