Indonesia says its coast guard drove away Chinese ship that interrupted survey in disputed sea

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesian patrol ships drove a Chinese seashore defender alloy distant from a study alloy successful a disputed area of nan South China Sea for nan 2nd clip successful 3 days, Indonesian authorities said Thursday.

Indonesia's Maritime Security Agency said a Chinese vessel approached nan MV Geo Coral connected Monday and Wednesday, interrupting a seismic information study being conducted by nan authorities power institution PT Pertamina successful a portion of nan South China Sea claimed by some countries.

Asked astir nan Indonesian statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said nan Coast Guard alloy had carried retired regular patrols successful waters nether Chinese jurisdiction. “China is fresh to heighten connection and consultation pinch Indonesia done negotiated channels and decently grip maritime differences betwixt nan 2 countries,” he added.

China’s “nine-dash line,” which it uses to astir demarcate its declare to astir of nan South China Sea, overlaps pinch a conception of Indonesia’s exclusive economical area that extends from nan Natuna Islands.

Indonesia does not person a general territorial conflict pinch China complete nan South China Sea but has go progressively protective of its authorities successful nan region, while Chinese ships person regularly entered nan area Indonesia calls nan North Natuna Sea, fueling tensions betwixt nan countries.

Indonesian authorities said nan Chinese seashore defender vessel CCG 5402 was first detected adjacent MV Geo Coral connected Monday. An Indonesian patrol vessel contacted nan ship, whose unit insisted that nan area was nether China's jurisdiction earlier Indonesian seashore defender and navy ships drove nan Chinese vessel away.

On Wednesday morning, nan Chinese vessel again approached nan tract of nan seismic study and was driven away, according to nan Maritime Security Agency.

Earlier, nan agency had said nan 2nd brushwood took spot Thursday morning.

A video distributed by nan agency showed Indonesian seashore defender officers speaking to their Chinese counterparts by power and nan China’s seashore defender officials.

“This is China Coast Guard 5402. China has indisputable authority complete Nansha islands and nan adjacent waters,” says nan the Chinese officer. “Chinese Coast Guard regular patrol successful and supra these home jurisdictional waters is unquestionable."

The Indonesian seashore defender serviceman replies that nan China’s alloy was successful Indonesia’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

“Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency will proceed to behaviour intensive patrols and monitoring successful nan waters of North Natuna to guarantee that seismic study activities tally smoothly and support Indonesia’s sovereignty and sovereign rights,” said nan statement.

Clashes astatine oversea betwixt China and its maritime rivals person go progressively communal successful caller years, driving tensions particularly pinch nan Philippines and Vietnam. Chinese ships besides regularly patrol disconnected nan land of Borneo and adjacent James Shoal eastbound of nan Natuna islands, China’s southernmost territorial declare which Malaysia says belongs to it.

China’s building and militarization of islands successful nan South China Sea person accrued tensions arsenic nan U.S. and others person challenged China’s claims pinch nan dispatch of ships and planes to asseverate nan correct to state of navigation.

A 2016 world arbitration ruling involving nan Philippines invalidated astir of China’s sweeping claims successful nan sea, but China has ignored nan ruling and called it a sham.

China has successful nan past explained its beingness successful nan waters connected nan ground of “traditional sportfishing rights.”