DPR: The Government Doesn't Need To Respond To China's Protests About Oil Drilling In The North Natuna Sea

ILLUSTRATION/ BETWEEN HO ChinaMilitary

JAKARTA - Member of Commission I of the DPR from the Golkar Party faction, Christina Aryani, believes that the government does not need to respond to China's diplomatic protest by demanding that oil and gas drilling stop in the North Natuna Sea area.

The reason, according to Christina, in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos 1982) is that the southern tip of the South China Sea is part of the Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which since 2017 has been named the North Natuna Sea.

Referring to the provisions of Article 56 of UNCLOS, Indonesia has sovereign rights to carry out exploration, exploitation and management of Natural Resources (SDA) in the region.

"Indonesia has never acknowledged China's unilateral claim to the nine dash line. And because of that, there is no need to respond to these protests without a legal basis," said Christina Aryani, Friday, December 3.

He believes that the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take measured diplomatic steps to address the unilateral claims of the bamboo curtain country.

This opportunity, said Christina, was also used to encourage the Government to strengthen Bakamla as Indonesia's coast guard. To carry out security tasks against exploration and exploitation activities in the EEZ.

"The presence of the state in various forms in the EEZ area must be intensified as a deterrent to the unilateral claims of other countries," said Christina Aryani.

It is known, China has protested to Indonesia over oil and gas drilling carried out in the disputed South China Sea. In addition, China also protested the military exercise activities carried out by Indonesia.

China considers the maritime area to be theirs which is named the South China Sea. The protests by China have raised tensions over the region's natural resources.

Reported by Reuters, China submitted a letter to the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The letter asked Indonesia to stop drilling on offshore rigs because it was happening in Chinese territory.