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Jokowi to focus on fisheries, energy development in Natuna
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Chinese coast guard ship 3303 passes near the Imam Bonjol warship 383 as the Indonesian Navy pursues the Han Tan Cou fishing vessel entering Indonesia's Natuna waters on June 17. The Navy caught the China-flagged vessel suspected of illegal fishing in Indonesian waters. (Antara/Photo Courtesy of The Navy's Western Region Fleet Command (Koarmabar))
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo instructed his Cabinet ministers to develop the fisheries and energy sectors in the Natuna, Riau Islands, during a limited meeting held on board the Imam Bonjol warship in the area on Thursday, in a bold move to convey Indonesia's sovereignty to the international community in recent light of fishing spats in the region with China.
"Aside from economic developments in the fields of fisheries as well as oil and gas, the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander also conveyed plans to develop the defense infrastructure in Natuna and its surrounding area," Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said in a statement.
Retno said Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti confirmed in the meeting plans for integrated marine and fisheries-centered development in the area. In recent months, a string of incidents involving Chinese fishing boats have led to the detainment of a number of Chinese nationals, whom the government claim were fishing in their “traditional fishing zone”. Indonesia has rejected such claims, saying that they were encroaching on Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
In the field of energy, Retno said Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said confirmed that from the 16 oil and gas blocks surrounding the Natuna Islands, five blocks were running production while 11 others were in the exploration stage.
Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan, who was also present at the press conference, responded to questions from reporters regarding power supplies.
"The minister said gas was being diverted to Pemping Island and would provide electricity supply of approximately 50 megawatts," Luhut said.
