China Never Recognizes Indonesian EEZ in Natuna Sea

On Monday, March 21, 2016, the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, called the Charge d'Affaires of Chinese Embassy, Sun Wei Dei, protesting him for China aggressive violation on Indonesian right over their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around Natuna islands.  She put stress, in addition, that Indonesia is not among the claimant countries over the South  China Sea (SCS) so it is inappropriate for China to launch such aggressive action.

The incident which took place on Saturday, March 19, 2016 happened when Kway Fey 10078, Chinese fishing ship, ran around and collided in purpose the Indonesian coast guard KP Hiu 11 that pursued it. Three Indonesian officials jumped and took over the Chinese boat transferring the Chinese crew into KP Hiu and guarded Kway Fey towards Natuna nearest base. On the way back just about entering into Indonesian territorial sea, a Chinese coast guard ship that silently pursued them unexpectedly collided and immobilized Kway Fey. Anticipating an aggravated situation, the three Indonesian officials jumped back to KP Hiu abandoning Kway Fey which was then tugged away by Chinese coast guard ship to their nearest base in SCS. KP Hiu 11, however, kept arresting Chinese crew and brought them to Tiga Natuna island base waiting for a legal process.

The incident showed that China never recognizes Indonesian EEZ in the Natuna Sea. Chinese Charge d'Affaires clearly and openly stated that the fishing boat was operating in Chinese traditional fishing ground, not in Indonesia water. It is now clear for Indonesia that the issue is not merely on illegal fishing but far more seriously than that i.e. a maritime boundary dispute. 

The lesson never learned. Indonesia is always naive when facing a dispute such as in continental shelf or EEZ boundaries issue. Indonesia had a bad experience with Malaysia in Sipadan dispute because of its naivety. Now, when we have a maritime incident with China in Natuna Sea EEZ, again we cannot see what the bottom line is. Apart from several Indonesian ministerial protests put forward to the Chinese Embassy, the Indonesian Foreign Minister seemed satisfying herself by stating the China recognition over Indonesian sovereignty on the Natuna Islands and the right over their sea water. The minister failed, however, to notice that China only stated their recognition on Natuna sea water and never mentioned about Indonesian EEZ. 

If we look at the SCS map, it is obvious that China never challenges and claims Indonesia sovereignty upon the Natuna Islands. The Chinese nine-dash lines were clearly drawn crossing towards inside of our EEZ/Continental Shelf in the up north of Natuna Islands.  Indonesia gains nothing on China recognition on Indonesian sovereignty over Natuna islands as the Chinese nine-dash line already show it.  China indeed recognizes the Natuna island as Indonesian territory and its sea water but it doesn’t mean that it recognizes the whole Natuna EEZ area. There is an obvious overlap between Chinese dash lines and our EEZ in the up north (see the strip lines on the map). Behaving like an ostrich, Indonesia pretends as though Chinese nine-dash lines will never pose any threat to Indonesia. As a non-claimant country, Indonesia believes that the Chinese side will do similarly. 

Now it is time for Indonesia to explicitly refuse  recognizing China nine-dash lines that cross the Indonesian EEZ/Continental Shelf or elsewhere they are very remote from China mainland giving almost no room for their adversary countries to have their own EEZ. From the beginning Indonesia should judge this as Chinese injustice arrogance towards the international community especially its SCS neighboring countries, ignoring the basic principles of UNCLOS 1982. 

Indonesia should immediately withdraw its naïve role as a mediator, behaving like a good kid in the block dreaming that Beijing will be sincere towards Jakarta. China may be stunned or even mocked about Indonesian naivety as being itself a target but behaves as though nothing harmful will happen to Indonesia.  Sooner or later  Beijing will show its true determinism in imposing the whole nine-dash lines into effect including the section that crossing Indonesian EEZ/Continental Shelf. 

And the time now comes when Natuna incident emerged to the surface. China openly claimed that its fishing boat was operating in its traditional fishing ground. This is nothing but China open declaration that  Indonesian EEZ around the Natuna Islands simply doesn’t exist. It claims that what Indonesia considers as its EEZ  in Natuna sea covers what China considers as its traditional fishing ground in which the Chinese dash lines is the boundary.

Indonesia should be strong in maintaining the integrity of its EEZ as well as its Continental Shelf. Beneath Natuna water where Indonesian EEZ is located, there is abundantly oil and gas accumulations. For many decades Indonesia has developed most of that hydrocarbon fields but no single claim was heard from China on those resources. If China doesn’t recognize Indonesian EEZ around Natuna sea then sometime in the future when it feels strong enough with its military base in SCS it may also challenge the Indonesian Continental Shelf in the very same area.

Indonesian Foreign Affair Minister should be aware that the bottom line of the problem is not China recognition on Indonesian right over Natuna sea water but the explicit recognition of Indonesian EEZ and Continental Shelf both de facto and de jure. Observing China aggressiveness in imposing its nine-dash lines into effect, it is no doubt that the only language it speaks and understands to resolve the SCS dispute is power.

Indonesia is not alone in facing head to head against China.  If Indonesia likes to maintain its right in Natuna EEZ, there is no choice but to speak on the same language as China does. Indonesia should prioritize to strengthen its fleet in Natuna islands by increasing the number and capacity of coast guard ships as well as Navy warships. A strategic naval base should be built in the Natuna Islands not only to chase and intercept the illegal fishing boats but also to confront the danger from the north which now becomes real. 

The Sophisticated Weaponry Needs for National Sovereignty

As a big nation of 240 million people, it is normal that Indonesia should have big and powerful army forces. Historically, the development of military manpower in term of quality has been successfully achieved as indicated by the success of Armed Forces to safeguard the nation against the threats of internal security upheaval. Notwithstanding, due to economic consideration the development of weaponry had been given low budget allocation. 

However, according to Global Firepower (GFP) based on the criteria they set up in 2016, Indonesia is ranked as 12^th among all nations in the world. The analysis could be too good to be true especially when we consider the past government policy which gave low priority on armament development. 

It is only during the last decades that the government with the support of parliament starts to increase the defense budget. The imports of sophisticated war equipment were still mandatory while the political will to increase the capacity of the domestic capability to produce them was put forward.

Apart from their customary products, today some strategic State-owned Enterprises are determined to produce high-tech weaponry products:

1.    PT. Pindad, the Army Industrial State-owned Enterprise produces 19.5 kilos weight infantry fighting rifle (IFR). The fame of IFR goes world-wide after its bullet can tear up the steel tank body in military training. Having 1,055 mm barrel length of the overall length of 1,755 mm and with bullet caliber of 12.7 x 99 mm, it can be loaded with 10 bullets firing muzzle velocity of 900 m/s with a maximum effective range of 2,000 m.

IFR can make use of three different bullets, namely MU3 M for shooting practice or training, MU3 SAM for tearing the body of steel tank and MU 3 BLAM for blowing up and shattering the target. There is an only limited production of IFR, most of which today goes to Special Armed Forces and salable at the price of Rp 200 million (USD 15,300) each. According to Pindad director, the profit is limited but the main important things qualified product at world level.

As compared with other countries, IFR has good quality related to distance range, accuracy, and silencer which can reduce the sound down by 30 decibels, and is completed with night vision equipment and telescope to enlarge the target up to 25 times.

2.    Pindad has also other important products such as panzer and tank. It produces two kinds of panzers as Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), namely Badak and Anoa which are capable to carry 3 crew plus 10 passengers.  The latter has four variants namely Lurking, Chained Wheel, Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) and Cannon Anoa. Its body dimensions are 6 m length, 2.5 m width, 2.5 m – 2.9 m height and 11-14 tons weight (for combat), resistant to shooting ammunition of 12.7 mm. The Anoa is equipped with the main armament of 12.7 mm MG, CIS 40 AGL, and secondary armament of 66 mm smoke grenade launcher. It is powered by 340 hp six Renault diesel-engines-cylinders capable to speed up of around 90 km/h and operate within the range of 600 km-distance. The Anoa uses double wishbone independent suspension to maintain its stability while firing its 90 mm cannon. Albeit so many orders mostly come from Asian countries, Pindad will not be able to meet many orders unless it can get capital of no less than Rp 5 trillion.

Other than producing panzers, Pindad also modifies the old France made AMX-13 tank produced in 1980-an. With the length of 6.36 m, 2.5 m width and 2.35 m height weighing 14 ton, the modified AMX-13 has 105 mm caliber cannon in place of the old 75 mm one. With the turret of 105 mm it equals to Abram-class, the top American tank.

3.   The government, through the state-owned company PT PAL, determines to improve national fleet development and Navy warships. 

To fulfill the order of Ministry of Defense scheduled to be submitted in 2017, PT PAL is in the process of constructing a destroyer of frigate class which dimensions are 105.11 m length, 14.2 m width, speed of 28 knots, displacement of 2365 tonnes.

PT PAL is also constructing a Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) under the order of Philippine Defense Ministry scheduled to be submitted in May 2016. SSV is a development of Landing Platform Dock (LPD) Class having the length of 123 m, 21.8 m width, capable to carry personnel up to 621 maximum. SSV has a maximum speed of 16 knots p/h, displacement of 7200 tones, with the sailing range up to 9360 nautical miles.

So far PT PAL has also produced KCR-60 or Missile Speed Boat at Surabaya dockyard having specifications of length 60 m, width 8.10 m, displacement of 460 tonnes and a maximum speed of 28 knots (52 km/h), with 43 crews. Its main weapons are 4 X C-705 SSM, 1 X 57 mm Bofors and 2 X 20 mm Denel Vektor G 12. Its expected output is 35 until 2024.

In addition, PT PAL produces 3 units trading vessels of 50,000 DWT and 2 units trading vessel of 20,000 DWT annually. PT PAL engineers have mastered the bulker ship technology of 50,000 DWT, container ship of 1,600 TEUS, and tankers of 30,000 DWT. Today PT PAL is in process of mastering the technology of industrial supporting components for electric energy power such as a boiler.

4.    PT Dirgantara Indonesian (PTDI), the Airplane State-owned Enterprise is known as the producer of CN235 and CN250. Recently PTDI is preparing to build N219, a new generation plane capable to carry 19 passengers and cargo with maximum weight up to 2,500 kilos. Putting into consideration that 70% of Indonesian airfields are just 800 m long, its capability to take off and land at a short 600 meters airfield, make it suitable for the most Indonesia airfield condition. 

Having low operational cost at the speed of 395 km per hour and the price of around USD 4-5 million it is very competitive as compared with Twin Otter and Cessna Caravan around USD 6-7 million per unit, which makes a total of 100 orders from domestic and some potential buyers from foreign countries. PTDI is planning to produce the next generation of its kind namely N245 and N270, each with a bigger body, increasing speed, and more passengers to carry.

Now the government also pays attention to increase the strength of Air Force weapon for which Indonesian Ministry of Defense has cost sharing agreement (CSA) with Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) in January to co-produce fighting jets. The Ministry has allocated the fund up Rp 18 trillion for the construction 5 prototypes of the plane. Four planes to be assembled and built up in Korea while another one in Indonesia. The four planes produced in South Korea are assembled by both Korean and Indonesian engineers who are posted to work there in order to gain a transfer of technology. All five planes will roll on out of the hangar and undergo flight test in 2020.

Working hand-in-hand cooperatively PT Pindad, PT PAL, PTDI (formerly IPTN) and National Electronic Institution (LEN) will build and develop unmanned planes, drones, submarines, invisible boats and stealth planes in the future depending on the availability of technology, capital, and constant orders.

Indonesia companies have been able to produce the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with long-range self-controlled pilot aimed to be used in military reconnaissance and missile delivery. In order to make good reconnaissance, UAV must be able to fly at 200 m minimum height, 60 km/h flight speed and 60 minutes flight duration