Chinese ships enter Natuna, our maritime defense is weak?
As reported by Kompas Daily on Friday 3 January 2020, fishermen in Natuna Regency, Riau Islands Province, asked the government to immediately increase the strength of the patrol of sea guard ships. The presence of the apparatus in the North Natuna Sea is needed to ward off what fishermen referred to in Natuna Regency as "Invasion of Fish Thief Ships from China and Vietnam".
The arrival of fishing vessels escorted by the foreign country guard ships increased in the North Natuna Sea in December-January, to coincide with the northern wind season. In this period, local fishermen did not go to sea because the waves were very high. Their inadequate ship technology makes Natuna fishermen unable to overcome them.
Not long ago, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also protested China related to the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that China routinely patrols in the waters north of Natuna.
Beijing claimed to have sovereignty in the Spratly Islands, other countries in Southeast Asia also claimed the sovereignty of this islands, so that the surrounding waters, including in North Natuna, are areas that traditionally where Chinese fishermen catch fish.
In the article in the Kompas Daily, January 8, 2019, the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia 2001-2004 Rokhmin Dahuri wrote, Natuna waters including the sea area that had not been explored optimally and became an illegal fishing event. Areas that are also considered to include underfishing include the Sulawesi Sea, Banda, Arafura and the West Sumatra waters.
Therefore, what is needed is to improve the ability of fishermen to be able to use these sea areas. In other words, the issue of the presence of fishing vessels escorted by foreign coast guard ships must be planned in a planned manner.
In the short term, the deployment of more ships and increasing other maritime operations in Natuna is needed. As for the long term, Indonesia needs to focus on working on its big tasks as a maritime country, which is to empower fishermen with adequate ships and technology, in addition to the development of massive maritime power. The aspect of the development of maritime power includes not only military assets, but also the assets of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries as well as the local Fisheries Office, Maritime Affairs.
With a large maritime power and fishermen who are quite empowered, effective mastery and physical presence of Indonesia in the exclusive economic zone, such as in the North Natuna Sea, can be far more guaranteed. This will perfectly complement the efforts of the Republic of Indonesia on diplomatic paths. natuna laut natuna kekuatan maritim indonesia indonesia china kapal masuk natuna
andriajah