Indonesia, China to strengthen defense cooperation

Antara, Jakarta | Wed, 03/23/2011

Indonesia and China have agreed to strengthen their defense cooperation, including in the joint-production of missiles, a defense ministry official said.

Spokesman of the Indonesian Defense Ministry Brig.Gen.I Wayan Midhio said here Tuesday the two parties had paved the way for going ahead with the joint-missile production.

Speaking to newsmen after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the two countries` technical cooperation in the defense sector, he said Indonesia was already using Chinese-made C-802 missiles.

The missiles were used by the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) to equip some of its warships, he said.

"We have agreed on a possible joint-missile production in the future through PT.Pindad (strategic weaponry industry)," he said.

The MoU was signed by Deputy Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Head of the Chinese Technological and Industrial Development Agency Chen Qiufa.

The MoU highlighted such points of cooperation as supplying military equipments, transfer of technology of certain military equipment, joint-marketing, as well as upgrading and training programs, he said.

China has been recognized internationally as a nation that is not only successful in developing its economy but also its military power.

That country, as noted by sinodefence.com, has been able to develop a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) called "DongFeng 21" (DF-21, NATO code name: CSS-5).

This missile is a "two-stage, solid-propellant, single-warhead MRBM system developed by China Changfeng Mechanics and Electronics Technology Academy (also known as 2nd Space Academy)".