The Chinese Navy reported this Wednesday that it will carry out joint naval exercises with Indonesia in waters located east of Taiwan in mid-August, exercises that Taipei has described as a "military provocation" considering that Beijing intends to stage that it exercises jurisdiction over the eastern area of the island.
According to the Ministry of Defense of China, the exercises will involve the frigate Honghe, of type 054A, on the part of the Chinese Navy, and the frigate KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai, belonging to the Indonesian Navy. The practices will focus on communications and replenishment operations at sea.
"The exercise aims to improve the capabilities of both navies to conduct joint operations, deepen practical cooperation, and contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the region," reads the statement released by the Chinese authorities.
From Jakarta, the Indonesian Navy has tried to downplay the importance of the deployment, insisting that it is a routine "transit" exercise alongside other countries, scheduled as part of the return trip to the country from the Russian port of Vladivostok, in the east of Russia.
"This exercise is also a gesture of goodwill that navies around the world usually carry out as a manifestation of naval brotherhood and the maritime diplomacy inherent to warships," detailed the Navy spokesperson, Rear Admiral Tunggul, emphasizing the routine and cooperative nature of the activity.
In parallel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan has stated in a statement that it has conveyed a formal protest and has requested clarifications from Indonesia regarding maneuvers that it considers "malicious, irresponsible, and unilateral," understanding that they generate "instability and threats in the region."
"Taiwan will maintain its consistent stance of safeguarding its territory, will actively protect its sovereignty and sovereign rights in the South China Sea, and will work with all parties in the region to jointly ensure freedom of navigation and regional security and stability in the relevant waters," stated Taiwanese diplomacy.
In the same line, the Council of Continental Affairs (MAC) has stated that these maneuvers represent a "political manipulation" aimed "at creating the illusion in the international community that the Communist Party of China has jurisdiction over the waters east of Taiwan, severely infringing on Taiwan's national sovereignty and maritime rights."
Relations between Beijing and Taipei have remained frozen since 1949, when the forces of the Chinese nationalist party Kuomintang, led by Chiang Kai Shek, retreated to the island of Taiwan after their defeat in the civil war against the Communist Party of China. Since then, the Chinese government continues to consider Taiwan as a province under its sovereignty.