Indonesia-China Military Exercises Mark Jakarta's Non-Aligned Stance in US-China Rivalry

As Indonesia prepares to participate in US-led joint military exercises this month, it also agreed at a meeting this week to hold military exercises with China, a move that analysts say demonstrates Indonesia's non-aligned stance in the US-China rivalry. The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) is set to host the US-led Super Garuda Shield exercise with participation from dozens of countries, including Japan, Australia, South Korea, Germany, Singapore and Malaysia. The annual exercise will be held in the provinces of East Java, West Java and South Sumatra from August 26 to September 5. Meanwhile, senior Indonesian and Chinese officials agreed to hold joint military exercises and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing regional security, among other things, in a meeting on Tuesday (Aug. 13) in Jakarta, according to a statement from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry. It was the first high-level meeting of the joint foreign and defense ministerial dialogue (2+2 SOM) that will be upgraded to a ministerial meeting by Indonesia's new government next year. President-elect Prabowo Subianto will take office in October. The two countries agreed to launch a new 2+2 dialogue when President Joko Widodo met Chinese President Xi Jinping in October in Beijing. “If the exercises take place …