China defends holding naval exercises between Australia and Indonesia

[Krueger]

By China correspondent Stephen McDonell


PHOTO: Chinese state broadcaster CCTV shows Chinese naval ships performing drills between Australia and Indonesia.(ABC News)

The Chinese military has defended holding naval exercises in between Australia and Indonesia, saying they were not aimed at any particular country.

Last week, Chinese destroyers Wuhan and Haikou and amphibious landing craft Changbaishan carried out combat simulation drills in the region.

This prompted concern that Beijing was flexing its muscles further afield.

But China's Defence Ministry has told the ABC the exercises were "not aimed at any countries" and had "nothing to do with the regional situation".

In response to written questions, the ministry also said "China has the lawful right to sail freely" in international waters and that this was "normal training" as part of an annual plan.

The Chinese navy has probably never before held such exercises so close to Australia.

Chinese television reports showed what appear to be simulated combat drills, including weapons firing, last week.

Analysts believe that by sending ships through the region in such a fashion, Beijing was making it clear it considered the Indian Ocean a strategic priority.

They believe the move signals China will deploy its military to protect its interests in the region if needed.

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop told Australia Network "China is an emerging power in our region and globally".

"These exercises are taking place in international waters and Australia conducts similar exercises in international waters," she said.

"The Chinese navy is growing commensurate with the increasing size and strength of the Chinese economy and its place in the region, its place in the globe.

"So, the fact that the Chinese navy's conducting exercises in international waters is not a matter that I would raise with my counterpart because, as I say, Australia does similarly."

China defends holding naval exercises between Australia and Indonesia - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[BoQ77]

When you attack Australia or Indonesia, by the way, Chinese pal ?

 

[BoQ77]

Defence cooperation boosts Vietnam-Indonesia relations


QĐND - Thursday, February 13, 2014, 20:13 (GMT+7)

Print
PANO – Vietnam and Indonesia see development in their defence cooperation, making contributions to lifting their traditional ties to a new height.

General Phung Quang Thanh, Minister of National Defence, on February 13thstressed that at a reception to General Moeldoko, Chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI), who is on a working visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army cum Deputy Minister of National Defence.

General Phung Quang Thanh and General Moeldoko
The Minister of National Defence welcomed the Indonesian guest and hoped his visit to Vietnam would contribute to promoting friendship and cooperation between the two nations’ peoples and armies in the coming time.

He also highly appreciated the results of talks between Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty and General Moeldoko, adding that Vietnam wants to boost cooperation with Indonesia in fields of delegation exchanges, defence industry, and search and rescue.

For his part, General Moeldoko thanked General Phung Quang Thanh for his warm reception and said that the two sides would foster their defence cooperation in the coming time in order to strengthening their traditional ties and maintaining the peace, stability and development in the region.

Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty (L) and General Moeldoko
Earlier, Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty held talks with General Moeldoko. They reviewed the two nations’ defence cooperation over the past time and worked out measures to develop the ties, while exchanging their views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

In order to match the existing potential and desire of the two sides, they agreed on conducting high-ranking delegation exchanges and their navies’ cooperation, paving the way for the establishment of the “Joint patrol” regulation and the Joint Working Group on defence cooperation, finding cooperation opportunities in logistics-techniques and defence industry, and supporting each other at regional forums like ADMM, ADMM+ and ARF.

Vietnam hopes to receive support from Indonesia for an initiative to form an ADMM+ expert working group on humanitarian mine action, which was put forward by Vietnam at the 7th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM-7) in Brunei last year, and its experience in the UN peacekeeping activities, added the Deputy Minister of National Defence.

 

[GR!FF!N]

China is getting obsessed with Amphibious Craft.last time they "Advertised" similar kind of craft with Aircraft Carrier,Defence Analysts literally "Laughed their @ss off" and called them what in gamers' term-"Noob"...same kind of weaknesses they again displayed here...

No Logistic ship--They're doing an exercise so far from their shore.perhaps exercising for a "Beach Landing" while Destroyers will provide fire support.but there are no Logistic ship,which will be critical for this kind of OP.plus,only 4 helos aren't enough.they'll need an LHD for this kind of operations(and not an AC they thought) if the opponent has limited Air power to project.LHD,which can carry both attack and transport helos as well as soldiers and tanks is appropriate choice for Amphibious Assault.its not just you've to land the force on island,you've to land everything they could possibly need.truly,Amphibious Warfare is most complex of all.

 

[Beidou2020]

China is getting obsessed with Amphibious Craft.last time they "Advertised" similar kind of craft with Aircraft Carrier,Defence Analysts literally "Laughed their @ss off" and called them what in gamers' term-"Noob"...same kind of weaknesses they again displayed here...

No Logistic ship--They're doing an exercise so far from their shore.perhaps exercising for a "Beach Landing" while Destroyers will provide fire support.but there are no Logistic ship,which will be critical for this kind of OP.plus,only 4 helos aren't enough.they'll need an LHD for this kind of operations(and not an AC they thought) if the opponent has limited Air power to project.LHD,which can carry both attack and transport helos as well as soldiers and tanks is appropriate choice for Amphibious Assault.its not just you've to land the force on island,you've to land everything they could possibly need.truly,Amphibious Warfare is most complex of all.

LOL obviously an Indian noob that hasn't even seen a naval vessel knows more than the PLA (the same military that made a complete mockery of the laughably incompetent Indian military).

 

[GR!FF!N]

LOL obviously an Indian noob that hasn't even seen a naval vessel knows more than the PLA (the same military that made a complete mockery of the laughably incompetent Indian military).

China Flaunts First Carrier Battle Group Photo Op — War is Boring — Medium

if you come here for ranting,then I've nothing to say..if not then atleast counter my post with some logic.

 

[Genesis]

China is getting obsessed with Amphibious Craft.last time they "Advertised" similar kind of craft with Aircraft Carrier,Defence Analysts literally "Laughed their @ss off" and called them what in gamers' term-"Noob"...same kind of weaknesses they again displayed here...

No Logistic ship--They're doing an exercise so far from their shore.perhaps exercising for a "Beach Landing" while Destroyers will provide fire support.but there are no Logistic ship,which will be critical for this kind of OP.plus,only 4 helos aren't enough.they'll need an LHD for this kind of operations(and not an AC they thought) if the opponent has limited Air power to project.LHD,which can carry both attack and transport helos as well as soldiers and tanks is appropriate choice for Amphibious Assault.its not just you've to land the force on island,you've to land everything they could possibly need.truly,Amphibious Warfare is most complex of all.

This is a fair analysis IF China's goal was to do a full scale exercise or if our carrier battle group goes for a long enough training session.

These exercises are more to test certain specific capabilities, it may even test, for an operation like this, after it's finished we may review and see what's needed to increase efficiency, reduce casualty, deal the most amount of damage. We may see, what's running out fast, what's the effect of this region on our ships, and a ton of data that could be collected.

We however do have one crucial technology that most lack and may never have, Beidou, I'm not sure how many nations US allows it to use it's military functions, but that number can't be too many, so that means even at this beginning stage, China has a capability that almost no one but China Russia and US has and can use at any point without outside interference.

China has supply ships, in fact we have a lot of them and more is being designed and built to suit new objectives.

Our LHD is still in progress, it'll be a few years before it is finished. We are only investing in helicopters recently and would take a decade before we have a force as varied and effective as the US does.

Chinese navy is going through a massive overhaul, we are fast replacing our old ships and either scrapping, handing it over to coast guard, or sell it or gift it. Our navy at this point cannot project too far. Even the French had trouble projecting to Mali.
But our progress is good, a lot of key projects have been revealed and will be finished around 2017-2018. Then we can truly project force abroad.

 

[BoQ77]

The more exercises like this, the more clear, we know about "China peaceful development".
Actually, they are following the imperialism old track.

 

[Edison Chen]

The more exercises like this, the more clear, we know about "China peaceful development".
Actually, they are following the imperialism old track.

So? Vietnam will be the second Poland? Don't tell me it's what you want.

 

[shuntmaster]

Where exactly did this exercise take place?

 

[shuntmaster]

For Chinese ships to reach waters between Australia and Indonesia, they have to pass through the territorial waters of either Australia or Indonesia, unless they sail very close to Antarctica going round New Zealand and Tasmania.

 

[Rechoice]

So? Vietnam will be the second Poland? Don't tell me it's what you want.

China will be second USSR. soon or late.

 

[BoQ77]

Not sure why the Type 071 said they could lawful stop the USS Cowpens in the international sea.

Vietnam and Phillipine would invite US and Australia navy to exercise in the international water between Vietnam, Phillipines and China ..

Japan and South Korea would invite US and Australia navy to exercise in the international water between theirs and China ..

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

For Chinese ships to reach waters between Australia and Indonesia, they have to pass through the territorial waters of wither Australia or Indonesia, unless they sail very close to Antarctica going round New Zealand and Tasmania.

According to this article they passed through the Lombok Straight.
China's Navy Holds Indian Ocean Drills - ABC News

lombock straight - Google Maps

 

[shuntmaster]

According to this article they passed through the Lombok Straight.
China's Navy Holds Indian Ocean Drills - ABC News

lombock straight - Google Maps

Thanks..
Looks like the ships sailed from Bay of Bengal.. Lombock straights is in Indonesian territorial waters.. Wonder how Indonesia allowed foreign military ships to sail and do exercises in its territorial waters