Indonesia to raise prospect of joint patrols with Australia in South China Sea: report

[Valin]

Reuters:

Thu Feb 23, 2017

 

Indonesia President Joko Widodo will discuss the prospect of joint patrols with Australia in the South China Sea when he meets his counterpart Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the weekend. Widodo told The Australian newspaper he would like to see joint patrols with Australia, but only if did not further inflame tensions with China. "If there is no tension I think it's very important to have the patrols together. We will discuss this with PM Turnbull," said Widodo.

 

Indonesia has traditionally taken a neutral position on the South China Sea, acting as a buffer between China and fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that have the most at stake, the Philippines and Vietnam. But after China angered Indonesia by saying the two countries had "overlapping claims" to waters close to Indonesia's Natuna Islands, Jakarta staged large-scale exercise on the edge of South China Sea in October.

 

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion worth of trade passes each year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to parts of the sea. Australia - which says it takes no sides on South China Sea disputes but has supported U.S.-led freedom of navigation activities in the region - has been seeking to repair ties with Indonesia after their most recent spat.

 

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[Valin]

Tensions rise as China defends missile sites in South China Sea
Joel Gehrke

2/24/17

 

China is defending the construction of surface-to-air missile sites in the South China Sea, a move opposed by the U.S. but one that could help consolidate its hold over one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.

 

"China has the right to deploy necessary defensive facilities on its territory in accordance with security requirement," Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesman for the regime's Ministry of National Defense, said Thursday. "It is the legitimate right of a sovereign state."

 

China has claimed sovereignty over approximately 90 percent of the South China Sea, a subject of hot dispute given that the waters flow between several neighboring countries carrying "half the world's annual merchant fleet tonnage," according to the National Interest. The increased military capabilities could give China an edge when negotiating with its smaller neighbors, even as they try to cut the United States out of the talks.

 

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