China, Indonesia hold joint naval exercises near Jakarta

Laura Zhou, South China Morning Post

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/05/09/indonesia-submarine.jpg"/><figcaption>Indonesian Navy ships are seen at the Tanjung Wangi port during a search for the missing KRI Nanggala-402 submarine in Banyuwangi, East Java province, Indonesia, April 25, 2021.<em> Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>China and Indonesia conducted joint naval exercises in waters off Jakarta, Beijing said on Sunday, as the two countries work to improve trust and cooperation amid tensions in the South China Sea.</p><p>The drills, which took place on Saturday morning, were part of the PLA Navy’s annual training programme, the defence ministry said.</p><p>China’s Liuzhou and Suqian guided-missile frigates joined Indonesia’s KRI Usman Harun frigate and KRI Halasan missile craft in the exercises, which included communication drills, search and rescue operations and formation manoeuvres, it said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/05/07/21/chinese-naval-ships-join-retrieval-efforts-for-indonesian-submarine">Chinese naval ships join retrieval efforts for Indonesian submarine</a></li></ul><p>Mei Guoqiang, who heads the PLA Navy Southern Command’s offshore training formation team, told PLA Daily that the exercises would “help improve coordination between the warships, deepen professional communication, enhance mutual trust and cooperation and jointly demonstrate practical actions to safeguard regional peace and stability”.</p><p>The exercises came just a week after Beijing announced it was sending three rescue ships, including one with a manned submersible capable of descending to 10,000 metres (33,000 feet), to help recover the Indonesian submarine that sank late last month with the loss of all 53 crew members.</p><p>It was the first time China had joined an international submarine recovery mission. Observers said the operation would provide the PLA with valuable experience, though China’s involvement was greeted with some suspicion in Indonesia and the West regarding its true intentions.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/05/07/21/china-watches-us-policy-changes-taiwan">China watches for changes to US Taiwan policy after American official’s comments</a></li></ul><p>While military officials from China and Indonesia have called for closer cooperation, the two countries have clashed over fishing rights near the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea. Although Jakarta is not involved in any territorial disputes in the waterway, it considers the waters off the Natunas to be part its exclusive economic zone, though Beijing claims it has historical rights to fish there.</p><p>The PLA Navy began its annual training programme in April. The defence ministry said last week that the country’s first domestically developed aircraft carrier, the Shandong, and its support group had begun an exercise in the South China Sea, soon after the Liaoning carrier group completed its latest manoeuvres in the waters.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/06/21/former-dfa-chief-duterte-arbitral-ruling-south-china-sea-national-tragedy">Ex-DFA chief: &#x27;National tragedy&#x27; that Duterte &#x27;takes the side of China&#x27; on S. China Sea ruling</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1679780" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Military cooperation comes after China last week sent 3 ships to help in the search for the Indonesian submarine that sank in April.</p>

Military cooperation comes after China last week sent 3 ships to help in the search for the Indonesian submarine that sank in April.

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China, Indonesia hold joint naval exercises near Jakarta

China, Indonesia hold joint naval exercises near Jakarta

Laura Zhou,

South China Morning Post

Published May 10, 2021 04:14 AM PHT

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Updated May 10, 2021 02:42 PM PHT

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China Indonesia naval exercises

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