Indonesia says Chinese vessel twice driven away after disrupting energy survey

JAKARTA, Indonesia — 

A Chinese seashore defender vas was driven retired of Indonesia's waters for a 2nd clip this week aft it initially disrupted a survey by authorities vigor steadfast Pertamina successful the South China Sea, Indonesia's maritime information bureau said connected Thursday.

While Chinese seashore defender vessels person been spotted galore times successful Indonesia's exclusive economical zone, the astir caller incidents came conscionable days aft Prabowo Subianto took implicit Indonesia's presidency.

China claims sovereignty implicit astir the full South China Sea via a "nine-dash line" connected its maps that cuts into the EEZs of Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration successful the Hague successful 2016 said China's assertion has nary ground nether planetary law, a ruling Beijing does not recognize.

The incidents took spot disconnected Indonesia Natuna islands, astir 1,500 km from China's Hainan island. The nonstop locations were not instantly clear.

The Chinese vas connected Monday insisted the country was China's jurisdiction, Indonesia's maritime information agency, known arsenic Bakamla, said successful a statement.

China's overseas ministry did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

"Bakamla volition support patrolling and intensively monitoring the waters of North Natuna to guarantee seismic information gathering tin spell without disruption to Indonesia’s sovereignty," the bureau said connected Monday.

On Thursday, it said the Chinese vas returned but was intercepted and again driven out. It did not supply details connected what the vessel was doing.

China asserts its assertion of sovereignty via an armada of seashore defender ships deployed passim the South China Sea, immoderate of which are accused by its neighbors of aggressive conduct and of trying to disrupt energy and fisheries activities.

China typically says its seashore defender operates lawfully to deter territorial infringements successful what are its waters.

In 2021 vessels from Indonesia and China shadowed each different for months adjacent a submersible lipid rig that had been performing good appraisals successful the Natuna Sea. China astatine the clip urged Indonesia to stop drilling successful what was its territory.

The latest incidents came arsenic Indonesia's caller defence minister, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, met Thursday with the Chinese ambassador successful Jakarta.

The defence ministry successful a connection said Sjafrie expected to boost defence practice with China, including associated exercises. It made nary notation of this week's maritime incidents.