Indonesia has vehemently denied recognizing China’s disputed claims in the South China Sea following a joint statement issued during Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s recent trip to Beijing, Bloomberg reports.
The statement, which outlined a collaboration on maritime initiatives and “joint development in areas of overlapping claims,” has drawn fierce criticism from Indonesian officials and the public.
The Foreign Ministry in Jakarta insists that the statement does not imply recognition of China’s controversial “nine-dash line” claim, which encompasses vast swathes of the South China Sea.
This controversy comes just weeks after Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency intercepted and expelled Chinese Coast Guard ships that had entered Indonesian territorial waters. While Indonesia is not a formal claimant in the South China Sea dispute, it has historically refrained from recognizing China’s expansive claims, which are based on a vague 1947 map.
President Prabowo’s visit to Beijing, his first since assuming office in October, was intended to balance Indonesia’s relationship with China and the United States. During the visit, Prabowo met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and agreed to joint development in fisheries and maritime safety. Furthermore, Chinese and Indonesian firms signed business agreements worth over $10 billion on Sunday.
However, the joint statement has sparked significant backlash. Former Indonesian diplomat and special envoy to the president for maritime delimitation, Eddy Pratomo, criticized the statement.
The Indonesian Maritime Security Agency has scheduled a meeting with top Chinese Coast Guard officials in early next month to strengthen maritime relations. Meanwhile, lawmakers have expressed concern about Indonesia’s limited fleet and the need for stronger safeguards against Chinese threats.
