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South China Sea
This Week in AsiaPolitics

Chinese fishing vessels in spat with Indonesia leave Natunas. Friends again?

  • Army reconnaissance shows the Chinese ships have left waters around the islands, located in the South China Sea off the coast of Borneo
  • Jakarta and Beijing on Wednesday said escalating maritime tensions will not affect Chinese investment in the Southeast Asian nation

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo inspects troops during his visit to the Natuna Islands on January 8. Photo: AP
Joe Cochrane

The Chinese vessels at the centre of a spat between Beijing and Jakarta over illegal fishing activity have left waters around the Natuna Islands, according to the Southeast Asian nation’s armed forces.

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Major General Sisriadi, head of the armed forces’ information centre, on Thursday told local media that air reconnaissance conducted by the army showed the Chinese ships had left the waters around the islands, located off the northwest coast of Borneo in the South China Sea.

“The Chinese vessels that have conducted illegal fishing have exited the [exclusive economic zone], after our president’s arrival in Natuna,” Sisriadi said.

Jakarta has sent additional naval vessels and fighter jets to conduct patrols in the waters off the islands, where Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited on Wednesday, asserting Jakarta’s control of the area.

China and Indonesia on Wednesday appeared to have offered olive branches amid the maritime dispute, with both sides referring to each other as “friends” and saying the dispute would not affect Chinese investment in the Southeast Asian nation.
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The countries have engaged in a war of words after Indonesia announced a diplomatic protest with China on December 30 over alleged illegal fishing by Chinese boats, escorted by the Chinese Coast Guard, within Indonesia’s maritime exclusive economic zone off its Natuna Islands.

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