The governments of Japan and Indonesia agreed on Wednesday to strengthen coordination in the defense sector in the coming months to counter China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, Kyodo News reported.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indonesian President Joko Widodo met in Tokyo on July 27 for bilateral talks, a day after Widodo met with dictator Xi Jinping in China.
Kyodo News details the key points of the meeting:
Kishida said at a joint press conference with Widodo after the meeting that the two leaders confirmed their bilateral defense cooperation and that the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force participated in a multinational joint exercise in Indonesia for the first time in August.
They pledged to intensify coordination towards realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific region, with Japan pledging to strengthen maritime security in the region in response to China’s assertive stance and military buildup.
A deal with Japan would complicate relations with China, as the cooperation of the South China Sea countries with Japan is likely to be seen as a sign of concern about the Chinese Communist Party’s colonization of the region. Widodo, however, emphasized ostensibly friendly relations with China during his meeting with Xi.
“China is Indonesia’s comprehensive strategic partner. According to Channel News Asia (CNA) from Singapore, during the bilateral talks, Widodo Xi said, “We should develop this partnership in a cooperation that is beneficial for our country, but also for the region and the world.”
province of china Global Times July 27 appears to be submitting its own version of the same quote to Widodo. A newspaper published by the Communist Party of China wrote that Widodo told Xi “Indonesia will work with China to continue to deepen its strategic partnerships and contribute more.” [sic] regional peace and global development”
In recent months, China has stepped up its military activities in the Indo-Pacific region. This activity includes Beijing’s regular deployment of naval, coastal and fishing vessels in Japanese territorial waters, as well as daily raids by aggressive air forces on the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
In recent years, Indonesia has been forced several times to protect its territory from Chinese ships. In January 2020, Widodo broke from his usual stance trying to appease China by leading an unofficial naval “opposition” to Beijing off the Natuna Islands in northern Indonesia. The dispute arose after a Chinese Coast Guard vessel, accompanied by a fleet of illegal Chinese fishing boats, refused to leave the area.
“In an unusually frank statement, President Joko Widodo told reporters: “As far as our sovereignty is concerned, there is no negotiation.”
Indonesia maintains economic and political ties with China through the Beijing Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The program, funded by the Chinese government, allows Beijing to fund infrastructure projects in developing or low-income countries. Beijing bases its BRI projects on dubious credit structures that often drag countries that owe more than they owe to the Chinese Communist Party.
Source: Breitbart
