Jakarta. Chinese defense attaché Xu Sheng said Tuesday that his country’s flourishing military cooperation with Indonesia had “set an example” for Beijing’s interactions with other ASEAN nations.

The military diplomat made the statement at a gala dinner in Jakarta that celebrated how the Chinese People’s Liberation Army was turning 98 this year. 2025 also marks the 75th anniversary of Indonesia-China’s diplomatic ties. Both countries held their maiden two-plus-two military and diplomacy talks back in April. The ministerial dialogue, coupled with expanded pillars of cooperation, reflects the closeness of the defense ties, according to Xu.

“In recent years, under the strategic guidance of our two presidents, [our] defense relations are strengthening, setting an example for military cooperation between China and other ASEAN countries, while contributing to regional security and stability,” Xu said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto on the latter’s first-ever state visit to Beijing last November. It was then that the two leaders agreed to add security to their once-four-and-now-five pillars of cooperation. Other pillars include political, economic, people-to-people, and maritime fields.

Xu also pointed out that both countries had held a joint military exercise, dubbed Heping Garuda, which saw their respective forces conducting drills on search and detection, medical treatment, and personnel evacuation, among other activities. 

“High-level interactions between our two militaries are frequent. We successfully conducted the Heping Garuda joint exercise,” Xu said. 

The military diplomat also said that defense cooperation was crucial in facing the “multiple challenges confronting the region” without going into the specifics. 

China has engaged in joint military exercises and arms sales with Southeast Asian countries. Deputy Defense Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto admitted last month that Indonesia was open to acquiring China’s J-10C fighter jets as long as they meet the criteria and are affordable.

According to the think-tank Lowy Institute's blog, ASEAN member Thailand has purchased more arms from China than the US, value-wise. Thailand held its inaugural military drills with China in 2005, and even became the first Southeast Asian country to do so. Cambodia, too, has had regular military exercises with Beijing. 

Amidst the growing defense ties, tensions over the South China Sea cast a shadow over Beijing’s relations with ASEAN members. However, China and ASEAN are currently negotiating the so-called code of conduct, an overdue document that aims to mitigate the risks of conflicts in the strategic waterway. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently visited Kuala Lumpur to meet his ASEAN counterparts. The bloc’s secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn told reporters that both sides were planning to conclude the code of conduct by mid-2026.

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