Indonesia Takes a Tougher Stance against China
by Jose Rizal M. Reyes / poet-philosopher / updated April 3, 2016
“Indonesia demands ‘bully’ China hand over fishing boat”
— news report
“Indonesia will deploy U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to the Natuna islands to ward off ‘thieves’ ”
— another news report
I am glad that our Indonesian brothers and sisters are now taking a tougher stance against Chinese bullying. Indonesian Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti is demanding that China hand over a fishing boat which she claims has recently fished illegally in Indonesian waters. In a related development, Indonesian defense minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has been quoted in an earlier interview that his country will deploy U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to the Natuna islands to ward off “thieves”.
An Indonesian patrol boat had in fact already apprehended the Chinese fishing boat in question, the 300-ton Kway Fey 10078. After the Indonesians arrested the eight crew members of Kway Fey and transferred them to the patrol boat, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel suddenly appeared in the horizon and wrested control of the fishing boat.
The eight-man crew of the Chinese fishing boat are still under Indonesian custody. It is interesting to watch how this matter will be handled in the light of perceived toughening of the Indonesian stance towards maritime violations by foreign fishing boats, be Chinese or not. A similar incident last year involving the arrest of another Chinese fishing vessel — the 4,306-ton Hai Fa, the biggest fishing boat apprehended by Indonesia so far — ended in the release of the vessel with a light fine and under controversial circumstances.
Hitherto, it may be observed that Indonesia had been trying to maintain a balanced and low-key approach to its maritime problems with China, and had even been undertaking joint defense-related activities with the said country. Apparently, Indonesia was trying to take a middle and well-calculated course that would minimize risks vis a vis China and at the same time, maximize the benefits it would get from the geopolitical situation.
In previous years, news about the growing closer relationship between Indonesia and China — like agreeing to undertake joint missile production, for instance — caused my eye brows to gently rise. I was wondering how our Indonesian brothers were making their geopolitical calculations. But as they drew closer to a tighter embrace, China’s excessive maritime ambition was getting in the way of a blissful relationship.
The maritime differences between Indonesia and China revolve around Indonesia’s Natuna archipelago together with its surrounding waters. While the 272 Natuna islands themselves are not covered by the so-called ox-tongue or 9-dash map of China(at least for the time being), Natuna’s territorial waters protrude into China’s attempted ox-tongue territorial grab. There were previous encounters between Indonesia and China concerning the waters near the Natuna islands over the years. But Indonesia used to handle such incidents carefully and quietly, preferring low-key diplomacy over acrimonious confrontation.
As part of Chinese-Indonesian defense cooperation, the two countries held two joint anti-terrorism drills in the past — in Bandung, Indonesia in 2013 and in China the following year. The joint missile production mentioned a while ago was arranged as early as 2011. But by the latter part of 2015, Indonesia refused to join any joint military drills in the Southeast Asian Sea, an apparent rejection of the Chinese proposal to hold a joint China-ASEAN drill in the said area.
The change in the Indonesian attitude and behavior became noticeable ever since Pres. Joko Widodo took office in October 20, 2014. Under this former governor of Jakarta, Indonesia has begun burning and sinking foreign fishing boats caught illegally fishing in its territorial waters. I cannot verify as of now if any of those fishing boats was of Chinese origin. Even if none is Chinese so far, China surely cannot fail to hear the strong and clear Indonesian message.
As far as I can remember, the Indonesian demand for the turn over of the Chinese fishing boat caught illegally fishing is the boldest verbal pronouncement of Indonesia so far addressed directly to China. It seems Indonesia has also decided that it is best to make public its periodic maritime spats with China. Maybe it has something to do with the Widodo leadership. Or maybe the Indonesians have reassessed the evolving geopolitical situation and its strategic interests and decided that it is best to take a tougher public stance against Chinese threat to its territory and sovereignty.
The Indonesian demand for the turnover of the Chinese fishing boat came in the heels of a growing multi-national Asia-Pacific alliance against China and the sinking of a Chinese fishing boat by Argentina. Indonesia must have sensed that making such a demand carries little risk militarily and diplomatically, seeing that China is already embroiled in maritime rows with several other countries.
The tough stance of the Indonesian fisheries minister jibes with the equally tough stance of Indonesian defense minister Indonesian Ryamizard Ryacudu who announced in an earlier interview that his country was planning to deploy U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to the Natuna islands to ward off “thieves”, apparently referring to foreign boats fishing illegally in Indonesian waters. His statement was reportedly issued less than two weeks after an Indonesian boat clashed with Chinese Coast Guard vessels in the area.
According to Bloomberg News which interviewed Ryacudu, the defense minister explained that the deployment of the F-16 fighter jets is part of an Indonesian military buildup in the Natuna islands that includes refurbishing a runway, constructing a new port, and deploying “marines, air force special force units, an army battalion, three frigates, a new radar system and drones”.
Growing resistance against growing Chinese aggression is as natural as Isaac Newton’s third law of motion. Chinese territorial ambition and aggression has already caused the US, Japan, India and Australia to move closer to each other both bilaterally and multilaterally. The US has also close or growing relationship with the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam. The more China extends its covetous grasp, the more it makes itself isolated and friendless in its own neighborhood.
Ever since the Scarborough standoff of 2012, I have been advocating for an alliance and friendship between the Philippines and Vietnam. This despite our differences in ideology and religion. This despite also the initial apprehensions expressed by some Filipinos that we could not trust Vietnam because of our overlapping claims over a certain area of the Spratlys.
Nevertheless, Vietnam and the Philippines should consider extending mutual support and recognition to each other’s territory and sovereignty — in the case of the Philippines, with regards to the Spratlys; and in the case of Vietnam, with regards to the Paracels. As for the aforecited overlapping claims, I believe that if handled prudently and approached magnanimously, it can be viewed as a minor kink that can be discussed in a friendly way and resolved to our mutual satisfaction.
A possible formal or informal triumvirate among the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia can serve as the solid core of ASEAN resistance to Chinese bullying. It remains to be seen if such a coalition or alignment will emerge in the coming days.
I have a new-found interest in the national affairs and eventual destiny of our fraternal nation Indonesia. I haven’t gone deep really. For instance, I am not familiar as to who are the leading Indonesian politicians, actors, singers, sportsmen and the like. Much of what I know about present-day Indonesia pertains to its relationship with China, as revealed by news items.
Yet if I can have my heart’s desire, I want Indonesia together with the Philippines to be the two chief guardians of Sangkamalayaan (pan-Malayan population and territory), my own personal version of the MAPHILINDO dream of an earlier generation. By extension, in view of the newly emerging popularity of Austronesian unity (which includes the Indo-Malayan countries and the three Oceanian subregions of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia) — Indonesia and the Philippines can serve as the two great pillars of Austronesia bearing in mind that there are no Oceanian countries big enough to serve as counterpart pillars.
Nevertheless, in matters of the non-Malayan microstates, I want Indonesia and the Philippines to share joint leadership responsibilities with Australia and New Zealand in a friendly and cooperative spirit, not in a mindless and destructive rivalry. That is my vision on the matter; I am not just sure if it is feasible and acceptable to the current powers-that-be. What I have in mind is similar to what I want Russia and NATO to also arrange with regards to border states in Europe — instead of being a curse and a source of grave danger, I want being in the borders of Russia and NATO to be a double blessing for the people in those areas.
I cannot see any problem if two or more major countries extend leadership, assistance and protection to weaker and smaller states. Problem would only arise if the bigger powers have ignoble designs over the weaker and smaller states. But that is an evil practice that is better consigned to the Second Millennium and the darker ages of the past. That is not my idea of conducting foreign affairs and international relations. What I want is for the bigger, stronger and wealthier countries to protect the integrity and independence of the weaker and smaller states, and extend all other help possible without trying to control, exploit, annex or subjugate them. This is the noble and benevolent way of the Third Millennium and also of the Fourth. I will it so.
As of now, the main obstacle that I can see in forging a closer and stronger Philippine-Indonesian tie is … religion. (*Sigh*) Whether we like it or not, religion is such a vital factor and exerts such a powerful influence in current-day politics and ideology, due mainly to the prominent activities of groups that emanated from, and establish its mass base in, Muslim societies. I do not know how long this situation will last and how it will be resolved. But it’s quite possible that the falling prices of oil might hasten the transition of the planet into a new financial, ideological and geopolitical reality.
Naturally, we need to wait for the time when the ideological atmosphere and geopolitical situation around the world has changed dramatically for the better before we can see much progress in Philippine-Indonesian relationship. But that should not prevent us from taking tentative steps as soon as we can.
