Bakamla Again Expels Chinese Coast Guard Ships In North Natuna Sea

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) ship KN Dana-323 Island again expelled the Chinese coast guard ship trying to enter Indonesian jurisdictional waters in the North Natuna Sea, Riau Islands, Thursday, October 24.

In the past week, the Indonesian Bakamla twice expelled the Chinese coast guard 5402 from Indonesian jurisdictional waters because it was believed to disrupt the activities of Indonesian ships in these waters.

KN Dana-323 Island expelled CCG (China Coast Guard) 5402 from the Indonesian continental shelf so as not to interfere with the MV Geo Coral survey activities, "wrote the official broadcast of Bakamla RI which was confirmed by his public relations official, Captain Bakamla Yuhanes Antara, Thursday, October 24, which was confiscated by Antara.

He continued that the eviction incident occurred on Thursday morning. Director of Marine Operations of Bakamla RI, First Admiral Bakamla Octavianus Budi Susanto, immediately deployed KN Pulau Dana to the location when receiving a report on the movement of China's coast guard ship.

KN Pulau Dana tried to communicate with the Chinese ship at 07.30 WIB, Thursday, but there was no response. China's coast guard 5402 actually approached and disrupted the activities of the MV Geo Coral in the North Natuna Sea.

As a result, KN Pulau Dana-323, assisted by the warship of the Republic of Indonesia KRI Sutedi Senoputra-378, expelled the Chinese ship out of the waters of Indonesian jurisdiction. KRI Sutedi Senoputra is a corvette-type ship that is currently under the control of the Indonesian Navy Fleet I Command.

"The expulsion carried out by Bakamla RI on the CCG ship at the shelf of the North Natuna Sea continuum is a tangible form of commitment to always maintain security at sea in accordance with the duties and functions of the Indonesian Bakamla," he said in the official Bakamla broadcast.

In the same week, on Monday, October 21, the Indonesian Bakamla patrol boat KN Tanjung Datu-301 also expelled the Chinese coast guard 5402 out of Indonesian jurisdiction waters in the North Natuna Sea because the ship disrupted the survey and processing of seismic data carried out by PT Pertamina using the MV Geo Coral ship.

In that incident, KN Tanjung Datu also communicated using radio with CCG 5402, but the ship insisted the North Natuna Sea was part of China's jurisdiction.

"KN Tanjung Datu then received strength assistance from the Indonesian Navy patrol boat KRI Sutedi Senoputra-378 and the Indonesian Bakamla air patrol plane. The two Indonesian patrol boats overshadowed the Chinese ship and succeeded in expelling CCG 5402 out of Indonesian jurisdiction in the North Natuna Sea," said Deputy Expert Public Relations Pranata Captain Bakamla Yuhanes Antara.

He emphasized that Bakamla RI will continue to patrol and closely monitor activities in the North Natuna Sea to ensure that seismic surveys in the waters run without interruption.

"This operation also reflects Bakamla RI's commitment to maintaining maritime order and security in Indonesia's strategic waters," he said, in the official broadcast of Bakamla RI.

The North Natuna Sea is Indonesian jurisdictional waters that are included in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). However, China unilaterally claims the waters are included in its jurisdiction based on historical 10-dash-line reasons. China's 10-dash-line claim covers the entire waters of the South China Sea.