Irvansyah emphasized that Bakamla's patrol ships actively monitor the waters daily to ensure security and order. One Bakamla patrol ship is deployed every day in the North Natuna Sea.

"Currently, there is no activity from China Coast Guard vessels," he said in Jakarta on Monday, as quoted by Antara.

The statement was made after a CCG patrol vessel, CCG 5402, entered Indonesia's jurisdictional waters in the North Natuna Sea in October. The patrol vessel disrupted 3D seismic survey activities being conducted by PT Pertamina East Natuna on board the MV Geo Coral.

Bakamla patrol ships responded by expelling the Chinese vessel on three separate occasions in late October.

The North Natuna Sea, located within Indonesia's EEZ, is a key strategic area in the South China Sea.

While China claims historical rights over much of the South China Sea, including the waters surrounding the North Natuna Sea, this claim is not recognized under international law. Indonesia continues to uphold the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both Indonesia and China are signatories.

Bakamla operates a fleet of 10 patrol ships, divided into three operational zones, namely the West Maritime Zone covering Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan; the Central Maritime Zone covering Sulawesi and the Lesser Sunda Islands and the East Maritime Zone covering Maluku and Papua.

However, following a meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Nov. 9, Irvansyah suggested that Bakamla was open to future cooperation with China and will align its actions with the government's directives.

"Maybe joint activities, they could be training, increasing the capabilities and capacity of all personnel," Irvansyah said.