As Washington and its allies tighten cooperation in the region, Beijing steps up defence ties with Southeast Asia’s biggest economy
2-MIN READ2-MIN1 ListenLiu ZhenPublished: 6:00pm, 12 Aug 2026Updated: 6:04pm, 12 Aug 2026The People’s Liberation Army would conduct joint naval training with Indonesia in waters east of Taiwan, Beijing’s defence ministry announced on Tuesday.
“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.
Taiwanese authorities on Tuesday protested against the exercise plan, labelling it a “provocation”.
