Jakarta, (Antara) - President Joko Widodo has called on the country's apparatuses to defend the country's sovereignty across Indonesia including the Natuna Islands waters in connection with recent Chinese claim.
"In essence the Prrsident has ordered to defend the Indonesian territorial sovereignty that has been painstakingly built since the independence," presidential special staff Johan Budi said at the presidential palace compound here on Monday.
President Joko Widodo summoned coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan that day to discuss the recent South China Sea incident.
Johan said the President wished to assure sovereignty is enforced across the country without necessarily reducing good relations.
"So, the first is preserving the sovereignty, the Indonesian sovereignty. That is what the President said to the coordinating minister of political, security and legal affairs," he said.
He said positive diplomacy would remain to be done with China but sovereignty is one thing that cannot be bargained.
"However it was also conveyed to coordinating minister Luhut that maintaining good relations is also important not only with China but also with other countries as well," he said.
Situation in the South China Sea has been escalating due to several incidents. China has lodged a protest to Indonesia following the seizing of a Chinese fishing boat in the Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone in the Natuna wayers on June 17, 2016.(*)
