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'Indonesia won’t be military base for any country', Retno says, dismissing Pentagon report

Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Fri, September 4, 2020

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'Indonesia won’t be military base for any country', Retno says, dismissing Pentagon report Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi speaks in an interview on March 13, 2020. (JP/I Gede Dharma JS)

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oreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi has asserted that Indonesia will not be the military base for any foreign country, including China, following a report from the United States’ Department of Defense that states China is planning to build an overseas military logistics facility in Indonesia.

“I want to emphasize that, in accordance with the lines and principles of Indonesian foreign policy, Indonesian territory cannot and will not be used as a military facility base for any country,” Retno said during a press briefing on Friday.

“I repeat, Indonesian territory cannot and will not be used as a military facility base for any country.”

Previously, the US Department of Defense released its annual report titled Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2020.

The report was mandated to US Congress as an authoritative assessment on military and security developments involving China.

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It analyzes the contours of China’s national strategy, its approach to security and military affairs and potential changes in China’s armed forces over the next 20 years.

“Beyond its current base in Djibouti, the PRC [People’s Liberation Army] is very likely already considering and planning for additional overseas military logistics facilities to support naval, air and ground forces,” the report says.

“The PRC has likely considered locations for PLA military logistics facilities in Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Seychelles, Tanzania, Angola and Tajikistan.”

China, according to the report, is seeking to establish a more robust overseas logistics and basing infrastructure to allow the PLA to project and sustain military power at greater distances.

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