Standoff with Chinese vessels in Natuna

[adroth]

Indonesia deploys 4 additional warships to Natuna amid standoff with Chinese vessels
By Kiki Siregar
06 Jan 2020 05:59PM
(Updated: 06 Jan 2020 06:00PM)

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/indonesia-china-natuna-islands-dispute-south-china-sea-12237456

JAKARTA: Indonesia on Monday (Jan 6) deployed four additional warships to the Natuna Islands, after Chinese vessels refused to leave the area.

The warships will join four other vessels that are currently patrolling in the Natuna area, near the disputed South China Sea.

“We already have four warships there, so tomorrow there will be eight warships in the waters.

We also have hundreds of personnel there,” Commander Fajar Tri Rohadi, a Public Affairs Officer with the First Fleet Command of the Indonesia Navy told CNA.

Dozens of Chinese fishing boats entered the waters of Indonesia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in Natuna last month. Subsequently, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador in Jakarta and issued a protest.

Beijing has insisted that the Natuna waters are traditional fishing grounds for Chinese fishermen.

The Indonesian Airforce and Maritime Security Board (BAKAMLA) are also patrolling the area, according to Commander Rohadi.

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They have approached the Chinese vessels by communicating through radio.

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He said there are Chinese fishing vessels at around 30 locations. At each spot, there can be up to two boats.

Three Chinese coast guard vessels have also been seen in the area.

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[adroth]

Chinese fishing vessels remain in Natuna amid diplomatic tension: TNI
News Desk
The Jakarta Post

Jakarta   /   Sun, January 5, 2020   /   04:30 pm

https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/01/05/chinese-fishing-vessels-remain-in-natuna-amid-diplomatic-tension-tni.html

The Indonesian Military (TNI) claims that Chinese fishing vessels remained in Natuna, Riau Islands, on Sunday despite the ongoing diplomatic tug of war between Indonesia and China over the latter’s naval maneuvers in the region last week.

Joint Defense Area Command (Kogabwilhan) I commander Rear Adm. Yudo Margono said the foreign vessels had persisted and had been seen catching fish in waters only 130 miles (209 kilometers) from Ranai, the capital of Natuna regency.

“The ships were accompanied by a couple of Chinese coastguard vessels and one fishing guard vessel,” Yudo told the press on Sunday as quoted by Antara news agency.

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Following a series of naval maneuvers by Chinese coastguard and fishing vessels in Natuna waters last week, Indonesia summoned Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Xiao Qian on Monday to lodge a formal protest, with the Foreign Ministry saying that Indonesia would never recognize China's Nine-Dash Line — the geographic expression of Beijing's sweeping claims over the South China Sea — because it was contrary to international law.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang insisted on Tuesday that the ships were performing "routine" activities to assert its sovereignty over the nearby Spratly Islands as well as its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over relevant waters nearby, adding that China would like to work with Indonesia to continue managing disputes properly through bilateral dialogue.

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[Ayoshi]

https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/01/07/air-force-to-fly-jet-fighters-to-natuna-waters.html

Air Force to fly jet fighters to Natuna waters
Tue, January 7, 2020   /   07:15 pm

Indonesia and China have become embroiled in a diplomatic tug-of-war after the latter's coast guard vessels have been repeatedly spotted entering Indonesian-controlled waters along with Chinese fishing boats.

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The American-made jet fighters are the mainstay of Air Force patrols.

“This is actually a routine patrol, but now we are focusing on Natuna,” he said.

However, Ronny stressed that the jet fighters were aimed at defending the country’s sovereignty and there was no intention of provoking other parties, especially China.

Aside from the jet fighters, Ronny said the air base would remain vigilant to respond to any tensions in Natuna waters, and it was ready to deploy any resources that the TNI chief might direct.

Natuna Islands is located at the northern border of Indonesia, next to the South China Sea. (-/-)
Image taken from jakpost.net

Related topics:
* Natuna Islands
* Indonesia’s South China Sea Dilemma
* Indonesia shrugs off China's protest over North Natuna Sea's name
* Indonesia to conduct largest-ever military exercises in South China Sea

[Ayoshi]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Jokowi-vows-no-compromise-on-Natuna-standoff-with-China

Jokowi vows 'no compromise' on Natuna standoff with China
January 07, 2020 15:22 JST

Tensions have been rising over the past week after a number of Chinese fishing boats escorted by two coast guard ships and a fishery patrol vessel entered waters north of the Natuna Islands. Indonesia has dispatched two warships and is planning to send more, according to the chief of a local navy command, as quoted by state news wire Antara on Sunday.

Beijing has no territorial claims over the islands, but says waters off their northern coasts are part of its traditional fishing grounds around the Spratly Islands -- a focal point in Beijing's South China Sea disputes with several other Southeast Asian nations.

Indonesia has repeatedly said it is not a claimant to the South China Sea, but over the past few years it has increasingly locked horns with China over the Natuna waters. Susi Pudjiastuti, Widodo's fisheries minister from 2014 to 2019, aggressively seized -- and in some cases blew up -- foreign fishing vessels, including Chinese, caught poaching in Indonesian waters.

Last week, Indonesia's foreign ministry sent a diplomatic note to Beijing to strongly protest the Chinese vessels' latest actions in the Natuna Sea. On Monday, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi reiterated Jakarta's stance, telling China to abide by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or Unclos, including its clauses on exclusive economic zones.

Jaga Perairan Natuna, Indonesia Kembali Tambah Kapal Perang
tvOneNews - Jan 6, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fj6_CWcym8

[adroth]

Indonesia deploys fighter jets in stand-off with China
Posted at Jan 07 2020 08:01 PM | Updated as of Jan 07 2020 11:32 PM

https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/07/20/indonesia-deploys-fighter-jets-in-stand-off-with-china

JAKARTA - Indonesia's air force deployed four fighter jets to the South China Sea on Tuesday in a stand-off with Beijing after Jakarta protested over a Chinese violation of its exclusive economic zone.

The stand-off began in mid-December when a Chinese coast guard vessel, accompanying Chinese fishing boats, entered waters off the coast of Indonesia's northern Natuna islands, prompting Jakarta to summon Beijing's ambassador.

The issue has soured Indonesia's generally friendly relationship with China, its biggest trading partner and a major investor in Southeast Asia's largest country.

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[adroth]

First line of defense: Indonesia to populate Natuna waters with fishers
News Desk
The Jakarta Post

Jakarta   /   Mon, January 6, 2020   /   04:15 pm

https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/01/06/first-line-of-defense-indonesia-to-populate-natuna-waters-with-fishers.html

Indonesia is to send some 120 fishers from Java's coasts to operate in the waters surrounding the Natuna Islands in Riau Islands province, its chief security minister said on Monday, in the latest attempt to defend against China's illegal incursions into the nation's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD said the government aimed to counter China's claim over parts of its EEZ by mobilizing a fleet of fishing vessels to occupy and exercise their exclusive rights in waters where authorities have spotted Chinese coast guard vessels still operating.

"We want to mobilize fishermen from Pantura [Java's northern coast] and maybe eventually from other areas outside of Pantura to explore marine resources, go fishing and so on [in Natuna]," Mahfud was quoted by kompas.com as saying as he received representatives of fisher groups at his office on Monday.

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[adroth]

https://www.facebook.com/gmanews/photos/a.126333131976/10158259148646977/?type=3&theater&ifg=1

Nilisan na ng mga Chinese coast guard vessel at fishing boat ang disputed waters sa kanlurang bahagi ng South China Sea matapos ang pagbisita ni Indonesian President Joko Widodo doon para panindigan ang soberanya ng kaniyang bansa, ayon sa Indonesian military.

[Ayoshi]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-china-southchinasea-waters/indonesian-military-says-chinese-vessels-left-disputed-waters-idUSKBN1Z8146

Indonesian military says Chinese vessels left disputed waters

During recent weeks, Jakarta summoned China’s ambassador after the coast guard and fishing boats entered waters around the northern Natuna islands, where Indonesia has established an exclusive economic zone.

Indonesia stepped up air and sea patrols in the area, and on Wednesday Widodo visited one of the islands to drive home the message that it was Indonesian territory, at which point, his military said, the Chinese vessels quit the area.

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China has not claimed the Natuna islands themselves, but says it has nearby fishing rights within a self-proclaimed Nine-Dash Line that includes most of the energy rich South China Sea - a claim disputed by some Southeast Asian countries and isn’t recognized internationally.

In 2017, Indonesia renamed the northern section of its exclusive economic zone as the North Natuna Sea, as part of a push back against China’s maritime territorial ambitions.

Indonesia President Joko Widodo walks past a national flag during his visit at a military base in Natuna, near South China Sea, Indonesia January 8, 2020. Laily Rachev/Courtesy of Indonesian Presidential Palace/Handout via REUTERS

[Ayoshi]

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3045388/friends-again-chinese-fishing-vessels-spat-indonesia-leave

Chinese fishing vessels in spat with Indonesia leave Natunas. Friends again?

* Army reconnaissance shows the Chinese ships have left waters around the islands, located in the South China Sea off the coast of Borneo
* Jakarta and Beijing on Wednesday said escalating maritime tensions will not affect Chinese investment in the Southeast Asian nation

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The countries have engaged in a war of words after Indonesia announced a diplomatic protest with China on December 30 over alleged illegal fishing by Chinese boats, escorted by the Chinese Coast Guard, within Indonesia’s maritime exclusive economic zone off its Natuna Islands.

Beijing contends that the waters are part of its “traditional” fishing grounds and that the area is within its “nine-dash line”, a territorial claim in the South China Sea that overlaps with part of Jakarta’s exclusive economic zone and has caused tensions with other Southeast Asian nations.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo inspects troops during his visit to the Natuna Islands on January 8. Photo: AP
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China Coast Guard vessels in a video posted on their official Weibo account. Photo: Handout

[adroth]

How Indonesia drove away Chinese ships in the South China Sea
Patricia Lourdes Viray (The Philippine Star) - January 11, 2020 - 9:21am

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/01/11/1983726/how-indonesia-drove-away-chinese-ships-south-china-sea

MANILA, Philippines — While the Duterte government refuses to invoke the Philippines' legal victory in the South China Sea arbitration, Southeast Asian neighbor Indonesia has successfully defended its sovereignty against China.

The latest report from Indonesia's armed forces indicates that Chinese vessels encroaching on the vicinity of the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea have left the area.

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