Foreign Minister Retno Responds to China's New Map: Any Claims Must Be in Accordance with UN Conventions

Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi after a working meeting with Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday (31/8/2023). (ANTARA/Through Susthira K.)

JAKARTA - Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi emphasized that the drawing of territorial lines, including the 2023 Edition of the Standard Map of China, must be in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982).

"Any line drawn, any claim made must be in accordance with UNCLOS 1982," said Retno after a joint working meeting with Commission I of the DPR at the DPR building, Jakarta, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, August 31.

This was conveyed by Foreign Minister Retno in response to the latest 2023 Edition of China's Standard Map issued by China's Ministry of Natural Resources on Monday (28/8), the contents of the map claiming territory in India, Malaysian waters, and near Indonesia.

The Foreign Minister also said that this was an attitude that was always consistently held by Indonesia in terms of territorial sovereignty.

"Indonesia's position is not a new position, but a position that has always been conveyed consistently," she said.

Previously, on Wednesday (30/8), Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressed his hope that each party would not over-interpret the country's new map.

"We hope relevant parties can remain objective and calm, and refrain from over-interpreting this matter," said Wang Wenbin.

China's Ministry of Natural Resources released the map in conjunction with China's National Mapping Awareness Week and Survey and Mapping Publicity Day, Standard Map 2023, Tuesday (29/8).

China's latest map is said to cover parts of the Malaysian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) maritime area near Sabah and Sarawak, Brunei, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

According to UNCLOS 1982, in these waters, the state has the right to explore and exploit, conserve and manage biological and non-biological natural resources.

The Malaysian government rejects the 2023 Edition of China's Standard Map which shows unilateral claims to Malaysia's maritime territory based on the 1979 New Map of Malaysia Agreement.

India also lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels in response to the launch of the 2023 Edition of China's Standard Map, where the source of tension between the two neighboring countries is a 3,440 km border dispute along the Himalayas that has no clear boundaries.