Philippines Experience Facing Chinese Gray Zone Becomes a Valuable Lesson for Indonesia

VIVA – The experience of Philippines in dealing with the Chinese Gray Zone in their Exclusive Economic Zone region, can be used as a valuable lesson for Indonesia. The reason is that Indonesia is also facing China's gray zone strategy in their EEZ in Natuna waters.

This was conveyed by the chairman of the Indonesian Sinology Forum, Johanes Herlijanto in a webinar entitled China's Gray Zone Operation in South East Asia: the Case of the Philippines, which was held last Monday through a virtual platform.

Leading International Relations expert from De La Salle University, Philippines, Professor Renato Cruz DeCastro said that China has carried out this activity many times since 1995.

According to his explanation, gray zone activity is a political war aimed at achieving a political goal of a war, without having to deploy massive military forces.

"It is the gray zone operation that China applies to countries that have sea borders with China, so that their military aggression remains below the level of actual sea operations, and can be hidden through denials," explained Renato.

Renato thinks that China's gray zone operating model is clearly visible from China's maneuvers towards the Philippines in the last two decades. In 1995, the Chinese military built a base on Mischief Reef, a coral island within the Philippine EEZ.

The gray zone operations above continued during the era of President Durtete's administration. In fact, Durtete is known as the president of the Philippines who tends to build good relations with his Chinese colleague, President Xi Jinping.

"However, in the midst of this close relationship, as many as 275 Chinese fishing boats visited Thitu Island, which is under Philippine control," he said.

Meanwhile, Johanes assessed that the Philippines' experience in dealing with China's gray zone operations had important implications for Indonesia. What happened to the Philippines, in his opinion, shows that establishing relations with China does not necessarily make them stop or even reduce gray zone operations.

Another thing that has also been learned from the Philippines' experience is that it is not the right attitude to be relaxed and not take incidents with China seriously.

Reflecting on the above, it is deemed necessary for Indonesia to continue the serious stance it has shown regarding efforts to safeguard Indonesia's sovereignty and sovereign rights in the Natuna waters which are often the target of China's gray zone activities.