Indonesia Protests to China over Coast Guard Infringement

A Chinese coast guard vessel in the South China Sea.

akarta, 11 Jumail Akhir 1437/21 March 2016 (MINA) – Indonesia lodged a protest to China on Monday against what it described as an infringement of its waters by a Chinese coastguard vessel near a disputed area of the South China Sea, the foreign minister said.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that she had met with the Charge d’Affaires of China Sun Weide. In that meeting, she had expressed strong protest and submitted a memorandum.

The Indonesian government also protested the violations committed by the Chinese coast guards against law enforcement officers conducted law enforcement in Indonesian EEZ and a landing contingent.

Retno said that the Indonesian government has requested clarification from the Chinese government about the incident.

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The incident comes amid heightened tension in the South China Sea, in particular over China’s land reclamation and over its claims to vast swathes of the resource-rich shipping corridor.

Several Southeast Asian countries have overlapping claims in the area though Indonesia does not, and it sees itself as an “honest broker” in the various territorial disputes. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)