Indonesia's Naval Exercise with China Sparks Geopolitical Debate Over Taiwan's Waters
A joint naval exercise between China and Indonesia in waters east of Taiwan has drawn criticism from Taiwan and the U.S., with Beijing framing it as a validation of its sovereignty claims. Indonesia downplayed the exercise as routine, but the incident highlights China's growing efforts to enforce its One China principle globally.
## Joint Naval Exercise in Disputed Waters On August 12, China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and an Indonesian Navy warship conducted a joint navigation exercise in the waters east of Taiwan. This marked the first time China had engaged in such an exercise with a foreign military in these politically sensitive waters. The move drew immediate criticism from Taiwan’s authorities, who accused China of political manipulation, stating that the exercise was designed to falsely imply Chinese jurisdiction over the area. The United States also condemned the exercise, urging China to halt its military pressure on Taiwan. Chinese state media, including the Global Times, portrayed the exercise as a demonstration of China’s sovereign rights over the exclusive economic zone east of Taiwan. Military expert Zhang Junshe, quoted by the Global Times, described the exercise as significant, emphasizing its role in asserting China’s claims over the region. This exercise occurred amid heightened Chinese operational activity in the area, following Japan and the Philippines’ agreement to begin delimitation talks over their overlapping exclusive economic zones (EEZs) east of Taiwan. In early June, China deployed Coast Guard and law enforcement vessels to patrol the disputed waters, marking the first independent Coast Guard presence in the region. ## Indonesia’s Response and Broader Implications Indonesia’s Navy downplayed the significance of the exercise, describing it as a routine "limited joint training or passing exercise" conducted while returning from a joint exercise with Russia in Vladivostok. The Indonesian Navy also noted that similar exercises had been conducted with Japan’s navy and the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet. In a press statement, Indonesia avoided addressing the issue of jurisdiction, instead referencing its "free and active" foreign policy and the "universal naval tradition" of such exercises when transiting through maritime areas. A later statement omitted the reference to a "country’s maritime area," further distancing itself from the geopolitical implications. The incident underscores a broader trend of China pressuring other countries to adhere to its strict interpretation of the One China principle. While Taiwan has historically maintained unofficial relations with many countries, Beijing has intensified its efforts to isolate Taipei diplomatically. Recent examples include African and Oceanic countries revoking overflight clearances for Taiwan’s president, confiscating Taiwanese passports, and cancelling conferences due to Taiwanese participation. These actions reflect China’s grey-zone pressure tactics, which are designed to be deniable and reversible, making it difficult for Taiwan to attribute blame directly to Beijing. ## China’s Expanding Diplomatic Pressure China’s strategy extends beyond traditional diplomatic switches, now encompassing more subtle forms of pressure, such as visa restrictions and passport confiscations. For instance, Kenya confiscated passports of Taiwanese academics, Zambia cancelled a human rights conference due to Taiwanese participation, and Morocco stopped processing visa confirmation letters for Taiwanese passport holders. Uganda also withheld passports from Taiwanese travelers, citing its One China policy. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by issuing travel advisories for affected countries. The closure of Taiwan’s representative office in Papua New Guinea further illustrates China’s influence. Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister announced the closure to align with the One China policy, a move welcomed by Beijing. While some of these actions have been clarified or reversed, the overall trend indicates China’s success in gaining international validation for its stance on Taiwan. As a Taiwanese intelligence officer noted, the geopolitical significance of these actions outweighs their direct military impact. The question remains whether other countries will follow Indonesia’s lead in downplaying such incidents or if they will become more entangled in Beijing’s geopolitical strategies.
