EXCLUSIVE/Taiwan seeks Indonesia clarification over China-announced joint naval exercise

Taipei, Aug. 12 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Wednesday it has asked Indonesia to clarify a joint naval exercise east of Taiwan announced by China, while Jakarta described its planned naval activities as "Passing Exercises" that are "not war-fighting in nature."

China's Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday that a Chinese Navy ship and an Indonesian Navy frigate would conduct a "navigation exercise" in waters east of Taiwan in mid-August, focusing on communications drills and replenishment at sea.

In a statement issued Wednesday morning, MOFA said Taiwan had "immediately contacted relevant parties" to learn more about the situation and asked the Indonesian side for clarification after China "unilaterally claimed" Indonesia would participate in the exercise.

MOFA said it "sternly condemns" what it described as China's "arbitrary and irresponsible" behavior, saying Beijing had again disregarded international norms and responsibilities and "further increased tensions in the region."

Among parties along the first island chain, "only the Beijing authorities" engage in such "maliciously provocative and irresponsible" unilateral actions that creates insecurity and threats to the region, the ministry added.

Taiwan will "actively safeguard" its sovereignty and sovereign rights in waters east of Taiwan and work with regional partners to ensure freedom of navigation and regional stability, MOFA said, without specifying what measures it would take.

Indonesia calls activity "Passing Exercises"

In a statement provided to CNA, First Admiral Tunggul, head of the Indonesian Navy Information Service (Kadispenal), said the frigate will conduct "Passing Exercises (Passex) with countries along its route" as the vessel sails back to Indonesia from Vladivostok, Russia.

The frigate -- KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332 -- had been in Vladivostok for Exercise Orruda 2026 with the Russian Navy, according to the statement provided to CNA on Wednesday afternoon.

"The Passing Exercises are not war-fighting in nature, but rather a universal naval tradition conducted when passing through the waters of another country," the Indonesian Navy said.

"These Passex activities also constitute goodwill engagements that are commonly conducted by navies around the world as an expression of naval brotherhood and the maritime diplomacy associated with warships," it added.

The Indonesian Navy also said the country's "free and active foreign policy" allows it to pursue "mutually beneficial cooperation with any country," including conducting Passex activities with several countries.

The statement did not mention China or Taiwan by name, nor did it specify when or where the passing exercises would take place, including whether they would be held in waters east of Taiwan.

The announcement from China's defense ministry Tuesday also did not specify the exact location or duration of the exercise, or how far the participating vessels would operate from Taiwan.

The ministry said the exercise was aimed at enhancing the two navies' ability to conduct joint operations, deepening practical cooperation and "jointly safeguarding regional peace and stability."

Taiwan, formally the Republic of China, and Indonesia do not have formal diplomatic relations but have representative offices in each other's capitals and extensive economic and labor ties.

Bilateral trade totaled US$11.27 billion in 2025, while more than 335,000 Indonesian migrant workers were in Taiwan as of the end of June 2026, according to Taiwanese government statistics.