Thousands of soldiers from Indonesia and the United States are participating in a two-week joint military exercise. This round of exercise is regarded as the largest joint military exercise in history between the two countries.
According to the Indonesian Ministry of National Defense, the current round of exercises started on August 1 and will last until August 14 and will be held in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. The focus of the exercise is on the island’s defense strategy. .
The ministry added in a statement that a total of more than 2,100 Indonesian soldiers and more than 1,500 American soldiers participated in this year’s “Garuda Shield” joint military exercise, which has been held annually by the two countries since 2009. The exercise.
American soldiers arrived in Indonesia in late July, and the area is experiencing a large-scale outbreak of the new crown epidemic.
Indonesian Army Chief of Staff Andhika Perkassa said that the joint military exercise aims to improve the relations between the two countries and enhance the combat skills of the two countries’ militaries.
As competition with China intensifies, the United States attaches importance to strengthening its presence in the Asia-Pacific region and strives to attract allies.
Although Indonesia has established a strong security relationship with the United States, the country has also shown a desire to establish a new balance. On the one hand, it has its relationship with the United States, and on the other hand, it has a relationship with its main economic partner, China. Relationship between.
In this context, US Secretary of State Anthony Brinken and Indonesian Foreign Minister Leitno Marsudi discussed their common vision on maritime security during their meeting in Washington on the 4th. This is the strategy established by the two countries since 2015. The first strategic dialogue held since the partnership.
During the dialogue, the two sides emphasized that the strategic partnership between the two countries has become increasingly important and will contribute to the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.
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