Taiwan has condemned a planned China-Indonesia naval exercise in waters east of the island, calling it a military provocation and a threat to regional security….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has condemned China’s plan to hold a naval exercise with Indonesia in waters east of Taiwan, accusing Beijing of infringing on Taiwan’s sovereignty and threatening regional stability.
In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, the MAC urged China to immediately halt what it described as a dangerous move aimed at undermining the status quo, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported.
The statement followed an announcement by China’s Ministry of National Defence that a Chinese Navy ship and an Indonesian Navy frigate would conduct a “navigation exercise” in waters east of Taiwan in mid-August.
According to CNA, the MAC said Beijing had recently increased what it described as “gray-zone harassment” around Taiwan. It cited the deployment of Chinese government vessels on what Beijing describes as routine law-enforcement patrols, as well as research vessels operating in Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone.
The council said Beijing was now taking another step by seeking to conduct military exercises with other countries in waters east of Taiwan.
The MAC described the planned drills as “exercises in name, expansion in reality”, alleging that Beijing was attempting to create an impression internationally that it has jurisdiction over waters east of Taiwan.
The council accused China of “blatantly infringing” on Taiwan’s sovereignty and maritime rights and warned that such activities could undermine peace and stability in the region.
Taiwan’s government said it would continue to closely monitor developments and take necessary and appropriate measures to protect its sovereignty and safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, CNA reported.
The MAC did not specify what measures Taiwan could take.
China’s Ministry of National Defence announced the planned exercise at 5:08 p.m. Tuesday. The ministry said the Chinese and Indonesian naval vessels would conduct a navigation exercise in waters east of Taiwan in mid-August.
The drills will include communications exercises and replenishment at sea, according to the Chinese announcement.
Beijing said the exercise was intended to strengthen the two navies’ ability to conduct joint operations, deepen practical cooperation and “jointly safeguard regional peace and stability”.
China did not disclose the exact location or duration of the exercise. It also did not specify how far the participating vessels would operate from Taiwan.
The planned drills come against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Beijing and Taipei. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and maintains its own government and military.
Taiwan and Indonesia do not have formal diplomatic relations but maintain representative offices in each other’s capitals and have extensive economic and labour ties.
Taiwanese government statistics cited by CNA showed that bilateral trade between Taiwan and Indonesia reached US$11.27 billion in 2025.
More than 335,000 Indonesian migrant workers were in Taiwan as of the end of June 2026, according to the same data.
The planned China-Indonesia naval exercise is therefore being closely watched in Taipei, with Taiwan warning that increased military activity in waters around the island could have wider implications for regional security.
