Fri 17 September 2021:
Indonesia’s navy has increased patrols around its Natuna islands in the South China Sea after Chinese and US vessels were detected nearby in international waters, despite saying there the vessels had not caused any disturbance, a navy official said.
Five navy vessels, assisted by an air patrol, have been deployed in North Natuna Sea to secure the area, Indonesian Navy western fleet commander Arsyad Abdullah told reporters on Thursday.
In 2017, Indonesia renamed the northern reaches of its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea as the North Natuna Sea, as part of a push back against China’s maritime territorial ambitions.
“There is no bargaining when it comes to our sovereignty, our country’s territorial,” Indonesian President Joko Widodo declared following the incident.
In 2016, an Indonesian naval vessel also fired on a Chinese fishing boat accused of illegal fishing near Natuna, following a series of confrontations that year.
That same year Indonesia also destroyed 23 foreign fishing boats from Malaysia and Vietnam accused of illegal fishing in Indonesian waters.
Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said her agency sank 10 Malaysian and 13 Vietnamese boats that were caught fishing illegally in Indonesian waters.
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