Chinese Navy Ship Honghe and Indonesian Navy Frigate "Rê" Successfully Complete Passage Exercise in Waters East of Taiwan Island

中国海军红河舰与印尼海军“莱”号护卫舰位台岛以东海域圆满完成通航演练

PLA Daily (解放军报) 12 August 2026

Summary

On August 12, the PLA Navy replenishment ship Honghe and the Indonesian Navy frigate Rê completed a bilateral maritime passage exercise in waters east of Taiwan, running subjects including formation maneuvering, underway replenishment, and signal communications using tactical signal shorthand and signal flags. The exercise documents a concrete operational interaction between the PLAN and the Indonesian Navy in a stretch of water Beijing treats as politically sensitive, extending a pattern of PLA Navy bilateral drills that normalize third-country naval presence in the area. Whether the Indonesian side framed the location as politically significant, or treated it as open ocean, is not addressed in this report.

A China-Indonesia bilateral naval passage exercise conducted in waters east of Taiwan Island is analytically notable: it pairs a non-allied regional partner with the PLA Navy in an area of direct operational sensitivity to Taiwan contingency planning, and the explicit geographic framing signals deliberate normalization of PLA naval activity in that corridor with partner-nation participation.

Translation

On the morning of August 12, the Chinese Navy ship Honghe and the Indonesian Navy frigate "Rê" successfully completed all pre-planned subjects in waters east of Taiwan Island, bringing the maritime passage exercise to a close. After arriving in the designated sea area, Honghe and the Indonesian Navy frigate "Rê" formed a naval formation and conducted live-force exercises covering subjects including maritime communications, formation maneuvering, underway replenishment, and a parting-of-ways ceremony. Officers and sailors aboard Honghe skillfully employed special tactical signal shorthand, signal flags, and other means to conduct maritime communication and transmit instructions with the Indonesian Navy frigate "Rê." Both sides, in accordance with the pre-established exercise plan, operated flexibly and in close coordination, successfully completing all exercise objectives. This China-Indonesia maritime passage exercise fully demonstrated both sides' positive willingness and operational capability to pursue pragmatic cooperation and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

Honghe and the Indonesian frigate "Rê" conduct formation sailing and maneuvering exercises.

Honghe and the Indonesian frigate "Rê" conduct passage exercises.

Honghe and the Indonesian frigate "Rê" move into replenishment positions and conduct underway replenishment exercises.

Honghe and the Indonesian frigate "Rê" conduct a parting-of-ways ceremony exercise.

Original Chinese

8月12日上午，中国海军红河舰与印尼海军“莱”号护卫舰位台岛以东海域圆满完成所有预定科目，海上通航演练落下帷幕。抵达预定海域后，红河舰与印尼海军“莱”号护卫舰组成舰艇编队，围绕海上通信、编队运动、海上补给及分航仪式等科目开展实兵演练。红河舰官兵熟练运用特殊战术信号简语、信号旗语等，与印尼海军“莱”号护卫舰进行海上通联与指令传达。双方按照预先拟制的演练方案，灵活机动，协同配合，顺利完成所有演练目标。此次中国印尼海上通航演练，充分展示了双方务实合作、共同维护地区和平稳定的积极意愿和行动能力。红河舰与印尼“莱”号护卫舰开展编队航行机动演练。红河舰与印尼“莱”号护卫舰开展通航演练。红河舰与印尼“莱”号护卫舰占领补给阵位开展海上补给演练。红河舰与印尼“莱”号护卫舰开展分航仪式演练。