November 12, 2024
JAKARTA – The Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) announced on Monday that it would hold a meeting with the Chinese coast guard in what the agency chief described as a move to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions.
Chief of Bakamla Vice Adm. Irvansyah told lawmakers at the House of Representatives on Monday that the meeting was scheduled for late November or early December this year.
“We have often met at sea, now it’s time to meet on land. No problems will be solved if we don’t meet and talk,” Irvansyah was quoted by Antara as saying.
The official said the planned meeting would not discuss issues related to security in the South China Sea but instead would focus on joint exercises and training.
Irvansyah made the statement less than three weeks after Bakamla drove a Chinese coast guard ship from contested waters in the South China Sea.
Chinese vessels have occasionally entered Indonesia-claimed areas of the North Natuna Sea at the southern edge of the South China Sea, drawing protests from Jakarta.
The Chinese coast guard ship entered the contested waters in the South China Sea three times in the last week of October.
Bakamla said the Chinese vessel had disrupted a survey being conducted by state-owned oil company Pertamina, and that when contacted by an Indonesian ship, the Chinese coast guard said the area was part of Beijing’s jurisdiction.
Indonesia said the area was recognized as its territory under international law.
Huge, unexploited oil and gas deposits are believed to lie under the South China Sea’s seabed, though estimates vary greatly.