RI, China Expand Maritime Safety Cooperation

Jakarta (Antara) - Director General of Sea Transport Bobby R Mamahit said Indonesia will expand maritime safety cooperation with China. The agreement will be marked with a joint exercise by the two most populous countries in eastern coasts of Asia, Bobby said here on Sunday. "So far Indonesia has had such cooperation with neighboring countries of Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines and Japan," he said when welcoming a Chinese sea patrol ship Haixun 01 at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port on Sunday. Bobby said China is a big industrial country having high maritime technology as indicated with the its ability to build the Haixun 01 ship. Therefore, maritime safety cooperation would be expanded with China especially as geographically China is relatively close to Indonesia compared with Europe and the United States, he said. "China has the knowledge and technology in navigation and maritime safety, ship seaworthiness and shipbuilding, and experience in sea victim search and rescue," he added. He said the Haixun 01 ship will take part in the joint exercise in Indonesia between the maritime personnel of the two countries. Indonesia and China will exchange the knowledge and experience in maritime safety through the joint exercise, he said. "We will hold the joint exercise on July 18 in giving first aid in sea accident," he said. (*)