Indonesian Minister for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Susi Pudjiastuti. (Photo: Govt of Indonesia)
Chinese minister demanded to clarify illegal fishing issues
INDONESIA
Tuesday, March 22, 2016, 02:20 (GMT + 9)
Indonesian Minister for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Susi Pudjiastuti, will summon Chinese envoy Xie Feng to discuss illegal fishing reportedly performed by a Chinese trawler about few kilometers off Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone.
The move comes amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea over China's land reclamation there and over its claims on vast swathes of an important shipping corridor. Several Southeast Asian countries have overlapping claims in the area, Reuters informed.
"Their government should not stand behind illegal and unregulated fishing," Minister Pudjiastuti claimed.
According to reports by the local press, the Indonesian authorities attempted to capture the Chinese trawler and arrest the crew, but were stopped by the Chinese coast guard boat that reportedly rammed the trawler and pushed it back into the South China Sea.
Meanwhile, China's Foreign Ministry disputed Indonesia's version of events and issued a statement that said the trawler was operating in traditional Chinese fishing grounds before being attacked and harassed by an armed Indonesian ship, prompting the Chinese coast guard to offer assistance.
The Foreign Ministry also demanded Indonesia to release its detained Chinese fishermen and ensure their personal safety.
In response, the Indonesia Minister clarified: “We want to avoid a much more serious incident, so we settled on just arresting the eight crew members. The ship got away but we have the eight men in custody to help us investigate this incident.”
Even though Indonesia is not a claimant in the disputed South China Sea, but has raised concerns over China's inclusion of the resource-rich Natuna Islands in its so-called "nine-dash line".
On the other hand, Chinese authorities stated that it does not dispute Indonesia's sovereignty over the Natuna Islands.
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