On Thursday (Oct 24), Indonesia announced that it had expelled a Chinese coast guard vessel from disputed waters in the South China Sea on two occasions in recent days. This action reflects the ongoing resistance of Southeast Asian nations against Beijing’s activities in this strategically important area.
Chinese ships have periodically entered regions of the North Natuna Sea, which Indonesia claims, prompting protests from Jakarta.
“The China Coast Guard ship re-entered the Indonesian jurisdiction in the North Natuna Sea on Wednesday,” Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency said in a statement on Thursday.
The agency reported that the Chinese vessel first entered contested waters on Monday. When an Indonesian ship attempted to contact the Chinese boat via radio, the coast guard claimed the area was under Beijing’s jurisdiction. The Chinese ship was “disrupting a survey” being conducted by the state-owned oil company Pertamina. An Indonesian coast guard vessel monitored the situation and ultimately drove the Chinese ship away.
The South China Sea is believed to contain vast untapped oil and gas reserves, although estimates vary widely. These incidents represent an early challenge for newly inaugurated President Prabowo Subianto, who has committed to strengthening Indonesia’s territorial defense.
In 2020, Indonesia deployed fighter jets and warships to patrol the waters around the Natuna Islands amid tensions with Beijing after Chinese vessels entered the area. While Beijing and Jakarta are significant economic partners, Indonesia is working to prevent foreign vessels from fishing in its waters, arguing that it costs the economy billions each year.
China asserts claims over nearly the entire South China Sea and has disregarded an international tribunal ruling stating that its claims lack legal foundation. Recently, it has increased the deployment of military and coast guard vessels to pressure the Philippines out of several strategically important reefs and islands in the contested region. Additionally, China has heightened tensions over a disputed group of islands controlled by Japan in the East China Sea, alarming Tokyo and its allies.
