Epoch Times
June 30, 2021
Indonesia and the United States are building a new maritime training center at the strategic meeting point of the Malacca Strait and the South China Sea, in a move to counter China’s increasing aggression in the region.
Construction has begun on the $3.5 million center on Indonesia’s island of Batam, at the southern entrance to the strategic Straits of Malacca, which is a crucial chokepoint for global maritime trade, connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans. China doesn’t have access points to the Indian Ocean.
The facility, which will be operated by Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency, will be home to classrooms, barracks, and a helicopter launch pad, the agency said in a statement.