Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono has maintained that Indonesia does not recognize China’s claim of Indonesia’s part of South China Sea or North Natuna Sea, clarifiying the joint statement made between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Chinese Prime Minister Xi Jinping on November 9, 2024.
“The text of the joint statement stipulated that Indonesia and China will do joint development in the area that was mentioned as overlapping claim based on the relevant existing laws and regulations. We did not mention that we recognize anything, there is no such statement that said we will work together in point A , Coordinate B. Not yet,” Sugiono told a hearing with the House of Representative’s (DPR) Foreign affairs and Defense Commission I on Monday, December 2, 2024.
The main principle is that, Sugino said, the President has directed that Indonesia will increase cooperation and collaborations with its neighbors for the sake of national interest.
“We do not shift our position in the context of sovereignty. That’s why it was written in the text … there are prevailing laws and regulations,” Sugiono said.
“Indonesia remains in the position that there is no international legal basis for nine dash line claim. And the joint statement did not mention about nine dash line,” he added.
He said further that Indonesia’s commitment to all existing international agreements, ratification, and implementations of existing bilateral agreements remains in force.
“Indonesia consistently holds UNCLOS and the spirit of Declaration of Conduct in the South China Sea,” Sugiono cited.
Code of Conduct
Sugiono said Indonesia is in discussion with ASEAN on the Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea. In 2023, ASEAN and China have agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CoC that have been running since 2019.
“All negotiating participants also agreed that the CoC must be completed immediately to maintain the situation in the region. So all have the same standing, have the same desire to create a calm, stable and peaceful South China Sea region,” he cited.
This code of conduct , he added, has been consulted to several leaders of neighboring countries in order to reduce existing tension and to exploit existing resources.
Sugiono said that Indonesia, in this context, is taking steps to cooperate and to conduct joint development with China.
“For example, Indonesia and China will cooperate on fishing and exploration of resources based on the principles of applicable international law and mutual respect for the sovereignty of respective countries,” he concluded.
