China, Indonesia to Hold Joint Naval Drills East of Taiwan
August 12, 2026 | 01:23 pmIllustration of military training. BetweenTEMPO. CO, Jakarta –The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and the Indonesian Navy (TNI) plan to conduct joint navigation exercises. . .
August 12, 2026 | 01:23 pmIllustration of military training. BetweenTEMPO. CO, Jakarta –The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and the Indonesian Navy (TNI) plan to conduct joint navigation exercises in waters east of Taiwan in mid-August, according toChina’s Ministry of NationalDefense. The Chinese Navy vessel Honghe will conduct the exercise with an Indonesian Navy frigate, the ministry said on its website, as accessed byAntarain Beijing on Wednesday. The waters east of Taiwan face the Pacific Ocean and the Philippine Sea and are not located near Indonesia or the South China Sea. The exercise will include communications drills and at-sea replenishment operations. The Chinese Defense Ministry said the activities are intended to improve the two navies’ ability to conduct joint operations, deepen practical cooperation and contribute to regional peace and stability. The planned exercise comes shortly after the Philippines submitted an official maritime map to the United Nations outlining its normal baselines and the geographical scope of its maritime jurisdiction over Scarborough Shoal on July 29, 2026. Manila said the move was aimed at strengthening transparency and legal certainty regarding its maritime rights. China, Philippines Clash Over Scarborough ShoalScarborough Shoal, known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines and Huangyan Dao in China, is a ring-shaped coral reef located about 230 kilometers from the Philippines and roughly 1,000 kilometers from China’s Hainan Island. China maintains that the shoal is inherently part of its territory. Senior Colonel Chen Xi, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, said on Friday, August 7, that China has continuously, peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao. “China is the only country entitled to establish the baselines of the territorial sea of Huangyan Dao under international law,” Chen said, according to the ministry. He accused the Philippines of seriously violating China’s territorial sovereignty, international law and basic norms governing international relations by submitting the maritime map to the UN. Chen described the Philippine move as illegal and lacking validity, saying China’s military activities were intended as a warning against what Beijing considers Philippine violations and provocations. He added that China’s military exercises around Huangyan Dao were lawful and justified. Chen also accused the Philippines of repeatedly using international law to expand its territorial and maritime claims through domestic legislation since gaining independence in 1946. China-Indonesia Military EngagementThe planned exercise east ofTaiwanalso follows a visit by PLA Navy Task Force 83 to Surabaya, East Java, from August 2 to 6, 2026. During the visit, the Chinese naval task force paid courtesy calls on Indonesian military and government officials. PLA cadets and military personnel also visited the Indonesian Naval Academy, where they took part in friendly sports competitions and a cultural exchange with Indonesian naval cadets. While the PLA vessels were docked at Tanjung Perak Port, Indonesian citizens, Chinese nationals living in Indonesia and Indonesian military representatives were allowed to visit the training ship Qijiguang. Chinese naval cadets also visited the Indonesian Navy’s training ship KRI Bima Suci, which has made three visits to China, in 2019, 2024 and May 2026. The planned navigation exercise underscores growing naval engagement between China and Indonesia, while taking place against the backdrop of continuing maritime tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. RecommendedChina: Typhoon Dolphin Prompts Evacuations, Canceled Flights1 hari laluChina: Typhoon Dolphin Prompts Evacuations, Canceled FlightsTyphoon Dolphin disrupts China despite weakening, with nearly 1,500 Shanghai flights canceled and Beijing under flood alerts. Indonesia Wins 19 Medals at 2026 China-ASEAN Speed Roller Skating Championships2 hari laluIndonesia Wins 19 Medals at 2026 China-ASEAN Speed Roller Skating ChampionshipsIndonesia won 19 medals, including 14 golds, at the 2026 China-ASEAN Speed Roller Skating Championships in Fujian, China. China Braces for Typhoon Dolphin After It Batters Japan3 hari laluChina Braces for Typhoon Dolphin After It Batters JapanTyphoon Dolphin batters southern Japan, injuring people and causing blackouts, as China closes ports ahead of the storm's arrival. Indonesia Turns to China, Russia for Trans-Kalimantan Railway5 hari laluIndonesia Turns to China, Russia for Trans-Kalimantan RailwayIndonesia is seeking China, Russia, and domestic investors to develop the Trans-Kalimantan railway as part of Prabowo's rail expansion push. Where Is SilverFox Attacking? Mapping the Hacker Group's APAC Targets5 hari laluWhere Is SilverFox Attacking? Mapping the Hacker Group's APAC TargetsKaspersky reveals where China-linked hacker group SilverFox is targeting as cyberattacks rise across the Asia-Pacific region. Indonesia, China Sign MoU to Develop Industrial Estate in Madura5 hari laluIndonesia, China Sign MoU to Develop Industrial Estate in MaduraTrade between Zhanjiang and Indonesia reached 2. 461 billion yuan in 2025. China Targets 50% Non-Fossil Electricity by 20307 hari laluChina Targets 50% Non-Fossil Electricity by 2030China aims to increase the share of electricity generated from non-fossil energy sources to 50 percent by 2030. Humanoid Robots: Trump's Latest China Trade Battle?10 hari laluHumanoid Robots: Trump's Latest China Trade Battle?The U. S. banned foreign-made humanoid robots, citing security. Analysts say it may give US firms time to catch up with China. US Bans Chinese and Foreign-Made Humanoid Robots13 hari laluUS Bans Chinese and Foreign-Made Humanoid RobotsThe Trump administration has banned the import of humanoid and quadruped robots manufactured outside the United States. China Says Defense Cooperation With Indonesia Is Growing Stronger14 hari laluChina Says Defense Cooperation With Indonesia Is Growing StrongerChina and Indonesia are expanding defense cooperation through joint drills, military exchanges, and defense industry collaboration