Sjafrie, Chinese Defense Minister Discuss Soldier Exchange
A bilateral meeting between the Indonesian and Chinese defense ministers addressed plans for deepened defense cooperation.
Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin convened with his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, at the Indonesian Ministry of Defense in Jakarta on Friday, August 21, 2026. The meeting commenced with Admiral Dong being greeted by a ceremonial guard of honor upon his arrival. Subsequently, the two leaders issued a joint press release detailing the meeting's goals.
Sjafrie affirmed that defense cooperation would expand, encompassing both material support and personnel development. He elaborated that the defense strategy would initiate with joint military training, educational programs, and personnel exchange initiatives.
Addressing the prospect of exchanging troops between the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), Sjafrie announced that the exchange would encompass officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted personnel. He invited the Chinese PLA to take part in joint exercises, such as Heping Garuda. The Heping Garuda exercise was previously discussed during a naval coordination meeting between the two countries in Beijing from October 28 to 31, 2024.
Admiral Dong reiterated that Indonesia and China share crucial common interests in maintaining regional security and promoting economic growth. He affirmed that both nations would collaborate to expedite defense modernization and establish a formidable security barrier for their ongoing development. Dong highlighted, "We will bring greater stability and certainty to a world grappling with change and turmoil."
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
