Inp.polri.go.id - Beijing. The Chinese government cautioned on Friday (17/4/2026) that the newly signed defense agreement between Indonesia and the United States must not target third parties or undermine regional peace, following reports of proposed "overflight clearance" for American military aircraft.

"China maintains that defense cooperation between nations should not target any third party or harm their interests, nor should it disrupt regional stability," said Guo Jiakun, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a press briefing in Beijing, as reported by antaranews.com.

The Major Defense Cooperation Partnership (MDCP), signed by Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, drew international scrutiny over draft clauses suggesting broad Indonesian airspace access for US emergency operations. 

However, Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the overflight request remains under intensive review and is not yet active. Officials emphasized that any bilateral arrangement will strictly adhere to national sovereignty and ASEAN’s principle of collective responsibility to prevent regional interference.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)