Indonesia announced on Monday that it does not recognise China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, despite a recent joint maritime development agreement signed with Beijing.
Some analysts have raised concerns that this agreement could potentially compromise Indonesia’s sovereign rights.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea through a “nine-dash line” on its maps, a claim that encroaches into the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of several Southeast Asian countries.
For years, joint agreements with China in this strategically important area have been sensitive, with some countries wary that cooperation might appear to endorse Beijing’s extensive claims.
In 2016, an international tribunal ruled that China’s claim has no basis under international law—a decision China has refused to recognise.
During Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s recent visit to Beijing, a joint statement noted that the two countries had reached an
“important common understanding on joint development in areas of overlapping claims.”
However, Indonesia’s foreign ministry clarified on Monday that its stance remains unchanged, emphasising that the agreement does not affect Indonesia’s sovereignty or jurisdiction in the North Natuna Sea.
“Indonesia reiterates its position that those (Chinese) claims have no international legal basis,” the ministry stated.
China’s foreign ministry has not yet responded to Indonesia’s latest statement.
China’s nine-dash line begins near Vietnam and extends down to waters near Indonesia’s Natuna islands, cutting across the EEZs of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
China’s coast guard patrols these areas, and neighbouring nations have accused China of using aggressive tactics to disrupt their fishing and energy activities.
Indonesia’s foreign ministry said that the new agreement with China involves economic cooperation on fisheries and conservation, which it hopes will model peaceful and friendly relations.
Nonetheless, some Indonesian experts have cautioned that signing such an agreement could be seen as acknowledging overlapping claims.
Maritime analyst Aristyo Rizka Darmawan warned,
“If we refer to the official joint statement, that means we recognise overlapping claims,” suggesting it could undermine Indonesia’s rights to resources within its EEZ.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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