In the past two years, interventions from China through a “grey hull” naval approach and diplomatic threats became increasingly common around the Natuna Islands. The archipelagic regency and the surrounding waters are located between the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo to the south of the South China Sea, one of the most disputed bodies of water in the world.

China has unlawfully claimed ownership of the sea as well as part of Indonesia’s territorial waters and seabed, over which the country has the right to conduct economic activities like oil and gas exploration and fishing.

This included contractual activities with foreign companies, such as the United Kingdom’s independent Harbour Energy and Russia’s state-owned Zarubezhneft, which operated offshore drills in the Indonesian regency. The island chain was constantly under guard by the Indonesian Navy and Bakamla, which essentially functions as the national coast guard, with additional help from other foreign vessels.

The drilling activity at two natural gas appraisal wells in the Tuna Block began in June and was completed in late November.

Bakamla chief Vice Adm. Aan Kurnia said Indonesian patrol vessels were occasionally found shadowed by Chinese Coast Guard vessels 4-5 nautical miles from the drilling site.

But on the completion of drilling last month, he said Indonesia had “scored a point”. Aan added that the agency would continue to enforce the nation’s sovereign rights and report any disagreements to the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister as well as the Foreign Ministry.

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