Taiwan condemns ‘dangerous’ drill for political manipulation

‘PROVOCATION’: The China-Indonesia joint exercise aims to create a false impression that China has jurisdiction over waters east of Taiwan, the Mainland Affairs Council said By Ananda Teresia, Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee / Reuters, JAKARTA and TAIPEI Add TT as Preferred Source The Indonesian Navy yesterday said that joint naval exercises that China said took place east of Taiwan were routine and not related to “war fighting,” after Taipei expressed alarm and called them dangerous. China in June began coast guard patrols off Taiwan’s east coast, causing anger in Taipei and concern in Washington and some other Western capitals. The drill, which China described as a “navigation exercise,” was the first time the country has carried out such an operation with a foreign military in those waters.