Indonesian Air Force holds largest ever exercise in the South China Sea

The Indonesian Air Force is holding its largest-ever military exercise on islands in the South China Sea.

ReutersIndonesian officials said on October 4 that the exercise was aimed at asserting sovereignty over areas within the country's territory that China blatantly claims as its own based on China's unreasonable "nine-dash line" claim.

Indonesian fighter jets participate in the exercise. Photo: Reuters

Indonesian Air Force spokesman Jemi Trisonjaya said more than 2,000 soldiers, along with Russian fighter jets and US F-16s, will participate in the two-week exercise.

Earlier in June, the Indonesian President launched an “unprecedented” campaign to promote fishing and oil exploitation as well as the construction of defense structures around the Natuna island chain after the Indonesian Navy “clashed” with Chinese fishing vessels illegally fishing there.

Although it has no sovereignty dispute with Indonesia over the Natuna Islands, China has angered the Indonesian government by claiming that the two countries have “overlapping sovereignty” over the waters surrounding the islands, which Indonesia calls the Natuna Sea.

“We want to assert our presence in this sea. We have enough air power to deter the enemy,” Mr. Trisonjaya emphasized./.

According to VOV