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n a rare gesture aimed at showing Jakarta’s firm resolve in preserving its territorial integrity, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will lead a limited Cabinet meeting on board a warship in the Natuna Islands in Riau Islands province on Thursday.

The President is expected to discuss issues pertaining to the South China Sea (SCS) dispute in the waters surrounding Natuna, sending a clear message that Jakarta will not accept any claim by Beijing over the area.

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan told The Jakarta Post late on Wednesday that the President’s visit to Natuna would “send a clear message” that Indonesia was “very serious in its efforts to protect its sovereignty”.

“In the course of our history, we’ve never been this stern [with China]. This is also to demonstrate that the President is not taking the issue lightly,” said Luhut.

Of the thousands of islands that make up the Indonesian archipelago, Natuna Islands and its surrounding waters are the closest to the so-called “nine-dash line”, a demarcation unilaterally declared by China as the basis of its claim to most of the resource-rich SCS.

Unlike the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, Indonesia is not a claimant in any territorial dispute in the SCS, but around 83,000 square meters of Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in Natuna is included within the area demarcated by the nine-dash line.

It is on this basis that China’s coast guard and fishing fleet often operate there, claiming that the waters constitute part of the country’s “traditional fishing grounds”.

The waters are unavoidably a hotbed of potential conflict, not only with China but also with Vietnam and Thailand, given the area’s prominence as one of the few remaining homes to abundant fishery resources.

“We have already conveyed our position to Beijing, but we want to amplify it again in Natuna; we refuse to acknowledge the nine-dash line and the claims about traditional fishing grounds. We also don’t want any power projections [by major powers in the region], and we want to ensure freedom of navigation,” said Luhut.

Jokowi will be the third president to visit Natuna after former president Soeharto in 1979 to inaugurate a fisheries project and former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2006 to discuss an empowerment program for outer islands.

“A limited Cabinet meeting can be held anywhere. But, this is to show both the nation and the outside world that state sovereignty is a priority,” Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said.

Experts agree that Jokowi’s gesture is clearly meant to be a “visual display of sovereignty” that challenges China’s forays into the Natuna waters.

Eka Sjarief from the University of Padjajaran’s (UNPAD) School of International Law said the symbolism was clear: the President wants to send a message to Beijing that he is paying attention to developments in the area.

“Natuna is ours and [this gesture] shows that we want [China] to respect our sovereignty and sovereign rights,” Eka said.

Melda Kamil Ariadno, a professor of international law from the University of Indonesia, shared Eka’s sentiment but added that the government should follow this up by obtaining a formal acknowledgement from China.

“What Jokowi is doing is showing the fact that we don’t accept [China’s] claim regarding traditional fishing grounds,” Melda explained.

Jakarta’s move comes as no surprise as China has continued to send its fishermen into Indonesia’s EEZ.

China’s actions have led Indonesia to strictly enforce its maritime and fisheries laws, which since March have resulted in a run-in with the Chinese coast guard and the seizure of two Chinese fishing vessels, the latest being last weekend’s capture of the Yueyandong Yu 19038.

Beijing has strongly protested the latest seizure and accused Indonesian forces of injuring a Chinese crew member in the process. It also insists Jakarta has overlapping claims on maritime rights and interests in the area.

Various government officials have rebutted both claims, saying that there were no recorded injuries and it was only China that felt there was any dispute.

It is Jakarta’s position that as long as Indonesia does not have a disputed claim and continues to enforce its laws, no dispute negotiations need take place.

Riau Islands provincial administration spokesperson Heri Mokhrizal told The Jakarta Post that he received word of the President’s arrival plans in Ranai, Natuna, at short notice.

“The President’s arrival was unscheduled; we think it is because of the heated debate surrounding Natuna over the past few days,” Heri said.

The provincial government of Riau Islands has also notified its residents to maintain the preservation of Indonesia’s territorial integrity, the official added.

According to a letter from the Cabinet secretary revealed to the Post, Jokowi will officially conduct “a limited Cabinet meeting to expedite Natuna development plans”.

Hery said the President’s entourage would consist of 26 government officials including Luhut, Indonesian Military commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti and the chiefs-of-staff of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Tanjung Pinang Naval Base commander First Adm. S. Irawan said the President would go to Ranai Naval Base to check on the Chinese vessel impounded last weekend. “[The President] plans to check on the captured Chinese vessel and observe how border patrols are carried out.