Indonesians drive out Chinese intruder

Indonesian authorities have driven out a Chinese coast guard vessel from Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone in the North Natuna Sea.

The Chinese coast guard vessel leaving Indonesia's exclusive economic zone on the North Natuna Sea on Monday. Picture: Indonesian Maritime Security Agency

Indonesian authorities drove out a China Coast Guard vessel from Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone in the North Natuna Sea this week.

The Chinese vessel’s unauthorised entry into the waters off Riau Islands province had been spotted by the country’s maritime security agency radars and automatic identification system­ in the area about 11pm on Friday.

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry says it sent a message to the Chinese mission in Jakarta on Monday and the China Coast Guard vessel’s departure was a direc­t response to that message.

“We requested the mission for an explanation for the incursion and reiterated that we don’t have overlapping claims in any form in Indonesian waters with China,” the Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah told The Australian.

Indonesian maritime secur­ity agency Bakamla says the Chinese vessel was alternating between being stationary and circling the area, the head of the agency told The Australian.

“The foreign vessel moved out from Indonesia’s EEZ on Monday around 11.20am, shortly before­ noon,” Vice Admiral Aan Kurnia said. “Our patrol boats escort­ed them out of the area.”

Admiral Kurnia said his agency and the China Coast Guard “had a tense argument” going back and forth over the issue, even after Bakamla warned the Chinese that they had entered Indonesian­ territory.

“They kept saying that they are within their jurisdiction, within the nine-dash line,” Admiral Kurnia said, emphasising that his agency “wanted to ensure that the incident should not escalate”.

Indonesia rejects China’s “nine-dash line” demarcation, saying that it contradicts the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

University of Indonesia international law expert Hikmahanto Juwana said Indonesia must pursue both practical and diplomatic solutions to prevent a repeat of this incident.

“Our diplomats must talk to China and tell them that tensions like this strongly affects the perceptio­n of Chinese aggression against Indonesia and might impact­ their investments here,” Professor Hikmahanto said.

He added that Indonesia should increase the number of fishing vessels in North Natuna and “provide the fishermen with incentives and fuel subsidies”.

The Centre for Strategic and International Studies says that the fact that China still claims sovereignty over the nine-dash line means that Indonesia has “diplomatic homework”.

“Indonesia should continue to take a firm stand over our international borders and EEZ. We must open a diplomatic channel to assert our claims to avoid further conflict,” CSIS researcher Gilang Kembara said.