Indonesian Step Face Unilateral Claims for North Natuna by China
- tvOne
VIVA – Recently, there was news about the return of Chinese coast guard vessels and Chinese fishing vessels to the North Natuna Islands on September 12. The presence of China’s ships adds to the tension between Indonesia and China over the waters in the islands.
The chairman of the Indonesian Sinology Forum, Johanes Herlijanto in response to the news, said that the Indonesian government's non-compromising and non-negotiating stance with China on the issue in the Natuna waters was considered very appropriate.
"This attitude needs to be maintained and accompanied by coordinated efforts in maintaining sovereign rights in the area that is included in the Indonesian Zone Economy Exclusive (ZEE)." Johanes Herlijanto remarked.
Previously, in December 2021, China protested against drilling carried out by Indonesia in the region. Meanwhile, harassment from fishermen and Chinese Coast Guard vessels against Indonesian authorities has been coming and going every year since 2016.
In 1993, China presented a map showing claims that China said was based on history.
Perbatasan Laut Natuna Utara China Selatan
- vstory
According to him, Indonesia has tried to ask for clarification from China. However, China only said that Natuna belongs to Indonesia and China has no territorial overlap with Indonesia.
However, according to Johanes' point of view, the statement that China does not have a territorial dispute with Indonesia is much different from China's attitude in reality.
"On the contrary, incidents in the form of the entry of Chinese fishing vessels and the intervention of Chinese coast guard vessels in the Indonesian ZEE area have occurred even in 2010 and 2013, even though the government at that time chose to resolve the problem quietly, so it did not become a public conversation," John explained.
Johanes believes that China will continue to take actions involving coast guard vessels and fishing groups around the North Natuna waters to defend China's claim to the area marked by the dotted line in Indonesia's ZEE in these waters.
The government's step in firmly rejecting China's unilateral claim on Indonesia's ZEE in the North Natuna Waters is correct because Indonesia's sovereign rights in the area are valid based on UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea).
