Jakarta. The Indonesian warship that is about to hold passing drills with China will also hold similar exercises with Japan and the US, according to a Navy official, amid Taiwan’s protests.

The Chinese Defense Ministry recently revealed that its navy would hold a “navigation exercise” with Indonesia in the sensitive waters off Taiwan’s east coast this month. The announcement quickly angered Taiwan, even slamming the drills as “military provocation”. 

Indonesian Navy spokesman Tunggul confirmed on Wednesday that the warship in question was the KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332. The frigate is taking part in the Russian bilateral exercise Orruda in Vladivostok, but will run passing drills “with countries that it passes by” on the way home. Tunggul initially avoided mentioning China and the other stops by name, but eventually spilled more details in a separate statement.

“The KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332 ship will hold passing exercises with the navies of countries that it passes by, including Japan, China, and the US Seventh Fleet,” Tunggul told the Jakarta Globe later that day.

The US Seventh Fleet is headquartered in Japan’s Yokosuka. 

Tunggul described the passing exercises “as a form of interaction to build communication, trust, good relations, and the spirit of friendship between navies”. He also framed the drills as a “maritime diplomacy” move. He reiterated that the drills were not intended for war-fighting, while saying that Indonesia’s non-aligned “free and active” foreign policy means that Jakarta is “open to working with all countries”.

Even so, Tunggul, who goes by one name, did not mention Taiwan in his latest comment. 

Taiwan has demanded clarification from the Indonesian side. The Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to the Globe’s question on whether Taiwan had approached them.

Indonesia backs the One China policy. In other words, it recognizes Taiwan as part of China, not as an independent state.

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