Indonesia announced on Thursday that it had successfully driven out a Chinese coast guard vessel from its claimed waters in the South China Sea on two separate occasions over the past week. The move, which underscores escalating tensions in the region, represents the latest action by a Southeast Asian nation against Beijing’s increasingly assertive stance in the strategically important and resource-rich waterway.
Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency (BAKAMLA) confirmed in a statement that a Chinese coast guard vessel had entered Indonesia’s North Natuna Sea, an area situated at the southern edge of the South China Sea. Chinese vessels have occasionally ventured into this region, which Jakarta claims as part of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), sparking concerns and protests from Indonesia over Beijing’s encroachment.
According to the statement, the Chinese vessel was first detected in Indonesian waters on Monday, October 21, 2024. Upon attempting to make radio contact, the Indonesian coast guard ship was informed by the Chinese vessel that it was operating in waters claimed by China, part of its extensive territorial claim known as the “nine-dash line.” Despite an international tribunal ruling in 2016 that deemed China’s claims to almost the entire South China Sea to have no legal standing, Beijing continues to insist on its jurisdiction over vast swathes of the maritime area.
The Chinese vessel was reportedly “disrupting the activity of a survey” being conducted by Pertamina, Indonesia’s state-owned oil and gas company. The survey, likely aimed at exploring and exploiting the substantial oil and gas resources believed to lie beneath the seabed, was temporarily interrupted by the vessel’s presence. The Indonesian coast guard ship shadowed the Chinese vessel and forced it to leave the area, marking the first instance of the vessel’s removal.
Two days later, on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, the Chinese vessel re-entered the North Natuna Sea, prompting another swift response from the Indonesian coast guard. Once again, Indonesian authorities intercepted the vessel and drove it out of the contested waters.
The North Natuna Sea holds significant geopolitical and economic importance. Though often overshadowed by other hotspots in the South China Sea, such as the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal, the region is crucial due to its location and the untapped potential beneath its waters. Substantial oil and natural gas deposits are believed to lie under the seabed, making it a focal point for both regional powers and energy companies alike.
For Indonesia, securing its maritime boundaries and protecting its economic interests is essential. In recent years, the country has grown increasingly vocal about protecting its resources from foreign encroachment. The incursions by Chinese vessels into Indonesian waters not only threaten the country’s sovereignty but also its economic stability, as illegal fishing and disruption to resource exploration could have lasting financial consequences.
The South China Sea, through which an estimated $3.5 trillion in trade flows annually, is also a critical corridor for global shipping routes. Its significance is further amplified by the military activities of several nations seeking to assert control over its strategic waterways. While Indonesia is not officially a claimant to the disputed territories in the South China Sea, it has firmly asserted its control over the waters around the Natuna Islands, which sit just to the south of the contested area.
These recent incidents present an early challenge for Indonesia’s newly inaugurated President, Prabowo Subianto. As a former defense minister with a background in the military, Prabowo campaigned on a platform that emphasized the importance of national security and protecting Indonesia’s territorial integrity. In his inauguration speech, he pledged to enhance Indonesia’s defense capabilities, particularly in the face of foreign incursions into its maritime territories.
The confrontations in the North Natuna Sea mark an early test of his administration’s resolve in dealing with foreign challenges, particularly in the delicate arena of Sino-Indonesian relations. While China is one of Indonesia’s most important economic partners, particularly in terms of investment and trade, Jakarta is determined to defend its waters from any unauthorized foreign presence.
In 2020, during a similar flare-up, Indonesia deployed fighter jets and warships to patrol the Natuna Islands after a series of Chinese vessels entered the area. That move was seen as a strong statement of intent from Jakarta, and the recent incidents indicate that Indonesia remains committed to protecting its territorial claims.
The incidents also highlight the delicate balancing act that Indonesia and other Southeast Asian nations must maintain in their relations with China. While Indonesia benefits from significant Chinese investment and is a key trading partner, Jakarta is wary of Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the region. China’s aggressive behavior in the South China Sea has increasingly brought it into conflict with its Southeast Asian neighbors, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei, all of whom lay claim to parts of the disputed waterway.
In recent months, China has ramped up its military and coast guard presence in the South China Sea, attempting to expel the Philippines from key reefs and islands and increasing tensions with Japan over a disputed island group in the East China Sea. These moves are part of a broader effort by Beijing to assert control over the area and fortify its claims through the use of force or the threat of force.
While Jakarta is not a direct claimant in the South China Sea disputes, its concerns stem from China’s use of the “nine-dash line” to justify its incursions into the Natuna Sea, an area well outside of internationally recognized Chinese territorial waters. Indonesia has repeatedly rejected China’s claims, citing the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which found no legal basis for China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea.
The latest incident with Indonesia is just one example of the broader tensions between China and Southeast Asian nations over the South China Sea. Over the past decade, Beijing has militarized several artificial islands in the region, building airstrips, missile defenses, and military facilities in areas that are claimed by other nations.
The Philippines, in particular, has been at the forefront of opposing China’s moves, with several high-profile clashes between Philippine and Chinese vessels occurring in recent months. Manila, emboldened by its mutual defense treaty with the United States, has repeatedly called out China for violating its sovereignty and has engaged in joint military drills with the U.S. to bolster its defensive capabilities.
Vietnam has also been embroiled in numerous confrontations with China over oil and gas exploration in its EEZ. Like Indonesia, Vietnam sees the South China Sea as vital to its economic interests and has increasingly turned to international alliances and legal mechanisms to challenge China’s actions.
While Indonesia’s approach has historically been more measured compared to its neighbors, the increasing frequency of Chinese incursions into the Natuna Sea has forced Jakarta to take a firmer stance. In this context, Prabowo Subianto’s administration will need to navigate the dual pressures of maintaining good economic relations with China while also safeguarding Indonesia’s territorial sovereignty.
