Economic Scenarios

Japan gifts two patrol boats to Indonesia. They will be used to defend the South China Sea from China

Japan will gift Indonesia with two high-speed patrol boats , Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Saturday, as Tokyo seeks to strengthen regional cooperation on maritime security in the face of competing territorial claims with China.

Ishiba made the promise during a visit to Jakarta, where he held talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on a range of bilateral issues.

“We agreed to establish operational-level defense consultations on our maritime security, including technical cooperation on defense equipment,” Ishiba said in a joint statement.

“We have also agreed to… provide high-speed patrol boats through official security assistance, which would be the first time we have agreed with Indonesia.”

The two countries also agreed to cooperate in decarbonized energy sectors, such as geothermal energy, hydrogen, ammonia and biofuels.

Before arriving in Jakarta, Ishiba held talks in Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim , describing strengthening ties with Southeast Asia as "one of the biggest priorities" for Japan.

The trip made him aware of the "explosive growth of the two countries" and reiterated his view that Japan and key ally the United States must further engage in Southeast Asian countries.

“Diplomatic engagement in this region is extremely important for both Japan and the United States,” Ishiba said.

“I would like to share with… (incoming President) Trump the understanding that Japan and the United States, working together for the peace and stability of this region, will contribute significantly to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region and the world entire".

the ships in question could be of the Mihashi Class , already in service in Japan, 46 meters long and suitable for fast interceptions.

Mihashi class

An increasingly active Japan in foreign and military policy

With the encouragement of the United States seeking to counter China, Japan has deepened security ties in the region.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite a 2016 international ruling concluding that its claims have no legal basis.

Huge untapped oil and gas deposits are believed to lie beneath the South China Sea, although estimates vary widely.

Last month, top Japanese diplomat Takeshi Iwaya expressed “serious concerns” to his Chinese counterpart over Beijing's increased military activity, also citing concerns about the “China Sea situation

Eastern, including around the Senkaku Islands”, a chain of uninhabited islands claimed by Beijing but administered by Tokyo.

Japan is already providing equipment and other assistance to the Philippines, which is also engaged in territorial disputes with China.

Last year the Philippines ratified a key defense pact with Japan , which allows them to deploy troops on each other's territory.

His trips to Malaysia and Indonesia mark Ishiba's first official state visit since taking office in October.


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The article Japan gives two patrol boats to Indonesia. They will be used to defend the South China Sea from China comes from Economic Scenarios .


This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/il-giappone-regala-due-motovedette-allindonesia-saranno-usate-per-difendere-il-mar-cinese-meridionale-dalla-cina/ on Mon, 13 Jan 2025 09:00:18 +0000.