A Routine Naval Exercise Could Draw Indonesia Into China's Taiwan Strategy
dominotheory.com
Indonesia's surprise naval drill with China near Taiwan raises whether "routine" exercises are quietly pulling a neutral giant into Beijing's strategic orbit.
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Theory Briefing
- Indonesia confirmed a surprise joint naval exercise with China conducted near Taiwan, framing it as routine.
- Indonesia has long guarded its non-aligned status, making a drill this close to the Taiwan flashpoint geopolitically loaded.
- The exercise fits a pattern where small military partnerships gradually shift a nation's strategic alignment before any formal commitment.
- If Beijing can normalize joint operations with Indonesia's navy, it complicates any coordinated regional response to a Taiwan contingency.