China, Indonesia foreign and defence ministers to meet Friday on security, economy
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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indonesian counterpart Sugiono will meet Friday in Jakarta for a “2+2” gathering with defence ministers focused on security, politics and economic issues. The talks follow a rare China-Indonesia naval exercise east of Taiwan that angered Taipei, as Jakarta balances ties with Beijing and Washington.
Key Facts
- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet Indonesian counterpart Sugiono in Jakarta on Friday, his first visit to Indonesia in two years.
- The foreign ministers' meeting will focus on economic issues and political relations, with the two countries' defence ministers joining for a “2+2” format.
- Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the talks will discuss political and security issues, defence cooperation, and the international and regional situation.
- Last week a rare joint naval exercise between China and Indonesia east of Taiwan angered Taipei; Indonesia's navy said it also conducted routine exercises with Japan and the United States.
- President Prabowo Subianto's 2024 visit to China produced a maritime development deal on joint development in overlapping claims, which analysts interpreted as a change in Jakarta's non-claimant stance.
Friday's Ministerial Talks
The meeting in Jakarta will be Wang Yi's first visit to Indonesia in two years. Defence ministers from both countries will join the foreign ministers for a “2+2” session. Indonesian foreign ministry official Arifianto Sofiyanto told a press conference on Thursday that the foreign ministers' meeting will focus on economic issues as well as political relations. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said this week that the meetings will discuss political and security issues, defence cooperation, and the international and regional situation.
Naval Exercise Fallout
Last week Taiwan was angered by a rare joint military exercise between the Chinese and Indonesian navies that took place east of Taiwan. Indonesia's navy said a vessel conducted routine exercises, not only with China, but also with Japan and the United States. Defence analyst Curie Maharani said that while Indonesia saw the exercise as routine, the location enabled China to signal a different political message. She added that engagement between the two countries has increased significantly over the past five years, though it still pales in comparison with Indonesia's defence cooperation with the United States or Australia.
South China Sea Dispute
Indonesia has its own disagreements with China over the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety. During President Prabowo Subianto's 2024 visit to China, his first foreign trip after taking office, a maritime development deal signed by both countries said they had reached common understanding “on joint development in areas of overlapping claims.” The wording was controversial, interpreted by analysts as a change in Jakarta's long-held stance as a non-claimant state in the contested South China Sea. Indonesia responded by reiterating it does not recognise China's claims.
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China, Indonesia foreign and defence ministers to meet Friday on security, economy
