China-Indonesia security talks follow navy drill

China's foreign and defence ministers were in Jakarta on August 21 for talks with Indonesian counterparts on political, security and defence cooperation, days after a joint navy drill near Taiwan drew criticism from Taipei.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono welcomed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and called the talks “an important milestone” in bilateral relations. Sugiono said the dialogue was intended to guide cooperation across political, economic, maritime, people-to-people and security areas.

Earlier this month, Jakarta and Beijing held a joint navy drill off Taiwan's east coast. The two countries said it was a “passing exercise” involving an Indonesian frigate returning home from Vladivostok in Russia. Taiwan called it a “military provocation” by the Chinese Communist Party.

Wang said Beijing and Jakarta should increase strategic communication and coordination as representatives of the Global South. Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun was also due to join talks on political security, defence cooperation and international and regional issues, according to Beijing.

The agenda included the first meeting of the China-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Dialogue Mechanism. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said before Wang's visit that the mechanism was meant to boost “the alignment of development strategies”.

Indonesia says it follows a “free and active” foreign policy and seeks to balance relations with Beijing and Washington. International relations researcher Pieter Pandie of the CSIS think tank told AFP that Indonesia's security and defence relationship with China remained less developed than its cooperation with Western and Asian partners, and said he would not treat the meeting as proof of a realignment toward Beijing.