Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has asked China to respect the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) 1982 following Chinese Coastguards act of thwarting the arrest of a Chinese-flagged vessel in the Natuna Sea.
"We have good ties with China. We try to ensure that these good ties help facilitate respect for international laws, including Unclos 1982," Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said at the Presidential Office here on Monday.
The minister said she had summoned Chinese Charge dAffaires in Jakarta, Sun Weide, to convey the fact that Chinese Coastguard vessels had thwarted the arrest of MV Kway Fey 10078.
At her meeting with Weide, the minister said Indonesia lodged three notes of protest.
First, the Indonesian government has objected to the violations committed by the Chinese coastguard against the countrys sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.
Second, the Indonesian government has raised a protest regarding violation by the Chinese coastguard against its law enforcement agencies in the EEZ and continental shelf.
Third, the Indonesian government has protested against the violation committed by the Chinese coastguard against its marine territorial sovereignty.
The minister further emphasized that Indonesia is neither a claimant state in the South China Sea nor a claimant state in the South China Sea dispute.
"So it (our stand) is obvious and we ask China to clarify the incident which occurred early Sunday," she said.
Earlier, the Chinese authorities had intervened in the law enforcement efforts undertaken by Indonesian authorities to seize a Chinese-origin ship MV Kway Fey 10078 after it was suspected of committing illegal fishing in the Natuna waters of Indonesia.
The Chinese Coast Guard attempted to intimidate the Indonesian Navys Hiu 11 patrol boat, which was in the process of taking into custody the 300 gross ton (GT) ship, on Saturday, March 19. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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