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Garuda Shield 2022 will take place between August 1 and 14. It is the first time that the Japanese participate. Singapore, Australia and eight other observer countries, including India, will also be present. Indonesia tries to balance relations with Beijing and Washington.
Tokyo () – Japanese troops will participate for the first time in the Garuda military exercises, in which Indonesian and American military forces take part every year. This was revealed today by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo during their meeting in the Japanese capital.
Garuda Shield 2022 will be held from August 1 to 14 at three different locations in Indonesia. In addition to the US, Japanese and Jakarta armed forces, it will have the active participation of Australian and Singaporean units. Canada, France, India, Malaysia, South Korea, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Great Britain will also be present as observers.
The US Indo-Pacific Command highlighted that this year’s Garuda exercises will be larger than previous years in terms of participation and purpose. The exercises take place at a time of high tension between the United States and China. In recent days, members of the Biden administration declared that in the first six months of the year, Beijing has intensified “provocations” in the South China Sea, where it has territorial disputes with several countries in the region.
The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei oppose Beijing’s expansionism to a greater or lesser extent, especially the occupation and militarization of some islands and coral reefs in the area. In this they receive the active support of the United States, Australia and Japan.
Indonesia has a more moderate role. Only the extreme north of the country is bathed by the South China Sea, precisely at the height of the Natuna Islands. The Chinese have made no territorial claims over this 272-island archipelago, but they do claim the right to exploit its rich fishing waters, which is strongly opposed by Jakarta. Part of this year’s Garuda exercises will take place on Batam Island, just over an hour’s flight from the Natuna.
Widodo is on a tour that has already taken him to China and will conclude with a visit to South Korea. This year Indonesia holds the rotating presidency of the G20 and Jokowi is busy on several diplomatic fronts.
The Chinese giant is Jakarta’s first trading partner and during his visit to Beijing, the Indonesian president promised Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang to strengthen bilateral cooperation. The invitation to Japan to participate in Garuda 2022 is part of Indonesia’s strategy to balance relations with China and with the US and its allies.
