REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Indonesia`s defense minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro met the visiting commander of the China`s PLA`s Strategic Missile Corps and member of the Central Military Commission, General Jing Zhiyuan, on Monday. The secretary general of the ministry of defense, Vice Marshal Eris Herryanto, said General Jing Zhiyuan came to Indonesia to increase cooperation between the two countries in the field of defense and follow up cooperation agreements that had been discussed by the two countries` ministers of defense before.
The two had also discussed plans to conduct joint exercise for the two countries` navies` special forces."The exercises were expected to be able to increase Indonesian-Chinese soldiers` capabilities," he said.
He said the exercise was expected to be carried out in July 2012 with Indonesian soldiers visiting China for the special forces` exercise. He said a joint exercise between the two countries` navies had also been put on the agenda but it was still at a navy-to-navy talk level. "This exercise is aimed at knowing how to secure the two countries` maritime borders. The exercise is planned to be carried out at sea," he added.
Other defense cooperation possibilities discussed is exchange of visits by defense officials especially by the two countries` ministers of defense. "The defense cooperation has been underway since the Chinese minister of defense`s visit to Indonesia last year. This year our minister of defense will visit that country," he said.
