Indonesia Arms Maritime Force to Deter Chinese, Vietnamese Fishing Vessels from Entering Natuna Seas

South China Morning Post

10 January 2021

Indonesia’s civilian maritime force ended 2020 by arming its vessels with machine guns amid continuing incursions by Chinese and Vietnamese fishing boats near Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone around its northern Natuna Islands. The move to equip the force, Bakamla, is viewed as a delicate balancing act by Indonesia to deal with Chinese incursions without jeopardising growing bilateral ties with Beijing, and also to defuse domestic anger over China’s encroachments, analysts said. Indonesia also faces incursions by Vietnamese fishing boats as a result of an unresolved overlapping EEZ dispute with Hanoi, said Dr Collin Koh, a Research Fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies in Singapore. “Generally, arming the vessels is also a way to cope with an evolving, uncertain South China Sea environment given the spike in tensions lately,” said Koh, although he added that the move would not “alter the balance of coastguard power” in the region.

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Last updated on 06/05/2021