ASIA PACIFIC
Why is Indonesia taking the initiative in the maritime dispute with China?
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| Dispute with China |
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June 27, 2020 22:45
Jennings
On January 8, 2020, Indonesian President Joko (center) inspected the naval officers and soldiers of the Natuna Islands.
On January 8, 2020, Indonesian President Joko (center) inspected the naval officers and soldiers of the Natuna Islands.
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TAIPEI-
Indonesia this month refused to negotiate with China on the sovereignty of a sea area. China claims that it has the right to use this sea area.
However, Beijing has not exerted pressure on Indonesia in the same way it treated Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam on issues involving Chinese sovereignty.
Indonesia, a country with a large population of Southeast Asian islands, can use its international influence to indifference China. This approach also indirectly helps other countries resist the influence of China in the 3.5 million square kilometers of the South China Sea.
Enrico Cau, an expert on Southeast Asia issues of the Taiwan Strategic Research Association, said that Indonesia is different from other smaller Asian countries. It has a population of 273 million and ranks among the world's middle powers in terms of military and political aspects. Indonesia also has a huge market and plays a central role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Indonesia is also a very important country in the Islamic world that has been extended to the Middle East.
An Likui said: "Indonesia is really not the kind of country that can be coerced like other countries." "In many ways, Indonesia is very different from other countries."
Scholars believe that confrontation with Indonesia on maritime issues may put tens of billions of dollars of Chinese trade at risk. In the worst case, it may also cause a backlash against Chinese Indonesians, like the anti-Chinese riots that occurred in 1998.
The waters that Beijing and Jakarta are competing in the South China Sea are located north of the Indonesian Natuna Islands. Indonesia stated that there are no grounds for disputes here because Indonesia’s sovereignty over this area of water complies with international law of the sea.
An Likui said that Indonesia has strengthened its military defense near the disputed waters, and China has not taken any action in this regard. After the Indonesian navy frigate fired a warning shot at a Chinese fishing fleet in 2016, Indonesia transformed Nathuna Air Force Base to allow fighter jets and attack helicopters to cruise nearby. He said that Indonesia continued to expand and "developed really fast."
Evan Laksmana, a senior researcher at the Jakarta Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that if you sit down and negotiate on this water, it means that China has certain rights here, making China involved in the sovereignty of other countries. Get greater initiative in disputes.
whether we have negotiated by chance or held talks, or even agreed All of these Chinese fishing requirements will enable China to strengthen its overall appeal in confrontation with other claimants in this region."
Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam all have sovereignty claims over the South China Sea. China, which has the strongest military power in Asia, has been reclaiming sea and creating islands since 2010, expanding its military presence and posing a threat to all parties to the dispute.
In recent months, China has sent geological survey ships and maritime police ships into disputed waters with Malaysia and Vietnam. In addition, in June, Chinese military aircraft continued to move along the edge of Taiwan's air defense identification zone.
Scholars believe that China will send more ships near the Natuna Islands. Carl Thayer, an expert in Southeast Asia at the University of New South Wales in Australia, said China needs fish because there are not many fish off the coast of China. In addition, China is also exploiting subsea oil in parts of the South China Sea.
Saye said: "The coast and coastal waters of China and Vietnam have been contaminated, and traditional fishing areas have been overfished, so the most profitable fishing site is south."
Laxmana said that Indonesia will continue to drive out China's maritime police ships and keep making diplomatic protests to China. China is unlikely to escalate the dispute.
The East Asia Forum stated that Indonesia found 60 “cross-border” Chinese ships in 30 locations in its exclusive economic zone in December. A month later, more Chinese ships appeared there. Media reports in Jakarta say that some Chinese fishing vessels are escorted by Chinese maritime police vessels.
Indonesia protested to the Chinese ambassador and sent warships and F-6 fighters to cruise in the waters.
Both China and India expressed their demands to the United Nations. The Chinese government wrote to UN Secretary General Guterres this month, saying that China and Indonesia have common sovereignty requirements in parts of the South China Sea. China usually cites historical documents to support its claims. And Jakarta rejected the position of China's nine-segment line.