PLA holds first joint naval drill with Indonesia in waters east of Taiwan

The People’s Liberation Army would conduct joint naval training with Indonesia in waters east of Taiwan, Beijing’s defence ministry announced on Tuesday.

Scheduled for mid-August, the drill will feature the Chinese navy’s Type 054A frigate Honghe and the Indonesian Navy frigate KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai, focusing on communications and at-sea replenishment, according to a statement by the ministry.

“The exercise is aimed at enhancing the two navies’ capabilities for joint operations, deepening practical cooperation and contributing to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region,” the statement said.

The statement did not specify the distance of the exercise from the Taiwanese coast.

The exercise will be the PLA’s first drill with a foreign navy in the area, though the planned activities do not appear to involve combat operations.

The Indonesian Navy said on Wednesday the drills were not designed for “warfighting” but were merely “passing exercises” consistent with the country’s non-aligned foreign policy.