Indonesia, China navies to step up cooperation
April 29, 2009, Jakarta -- The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) and the Chinese Navy have agreed to step up cooperation particularly in education and training.
The agreement was reached at a meeting between Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno and Chinese Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Wu Shenghi, in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, early this week.
Admiral Purdijatno was in China to attend the commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Chinese Navy.
The cooperation between the two countries` Navies was focused on intensifying education and training for both navies` officers, Commodore Iskandar Sitompul, a spokesman of the Indonesian Navy, said here on Tuesday.
"We did not talk about cooperation in main defense equipment system, but only on education and training, as well as the maritime security developments in Asia and globally," he said.
Meanwhile, Chief of Staff of the Chinese Navy Wu Shenghi said China was eager to develop its Navy to secure the maritime territories in far seas and Chinese coasts.
For that purpose, China needed to establish cooperation and partnership with navies from a number of countries, he said.
The Indonesian Navy has also discussed intensified cooperation with Japanese and Russian Navies.
The celebration of the Chinese Navy`s 60th anniversary was participated in by 21 warships from 14 countries and attended by 29 foreign delegations.
(ANTARA)