Symbolic imageChinese-Indonesian frigates end drill east of Taiwan as Beijing rejects missile rebuke
The PLA says Chinese and Indonesian frigates have completed their first joint drill east of Taiwan. Beijing separately rejected a statement by 41 countries on its missile-test notifications.
The Eastern Theatre Command said on Wednesday, 12 August, that the guided-missile frigate Honghe (Hull 523) and the Indonesian Navy's KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai had exercised east of the island, including a replenishment at sea. Taipei calls the manoeuvres a dangerous provocation; Global Times quoted an expert saying the governing DPP's criticism exposed its secessionist nature and reliance on external forces. Coast guard vessels also patrolled around Taiwan on Tuesday, which Beijing calls law enforcement.
Geneva: no permission needed
China's disarmament ambassador Li Chijiang rejected the US-led statement on Chinese missile launch notifications at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva on Tuesday. The foreign ministry called it hypocrisy and double standards; a Global Times editorial said China's tests need no permission. The launch at issue was a submarine-fired strategic missile on 6 July.
Taipei lobbies for weapons
The Wall Street Journal reports that Taiwan is pressing its case in Washington after Trump put arms sales in question. In an Economist video, John Bolton says Trump would sell out Taiwan for a deal.
Other opinions
The drill and the Geneva exchange are covered here only by Chinese state media; the US and British outlets instead question whether Washington will keep arming Taiwan.