China says its vessel is patrolling waters under its jurisdiction after Indonesian report

China’s rights and interests in relevant waters are clear, says Chinese foreign ministry spokesman

BEIJING:

China said on Tuesday that one of its vessels was patrolling normally in waters under its jurisdiction, in response to Indonesia reporting that a Chinese coast guard vessel had entered its exclusive economic zone.

China’s rights and interests in relevant waters are clear, Wang Wenbin, the spokesman with China’s foreign ministry, told a news briefing. He said the two sides have communicated about the issue.

Earlier today, Indonesia claimed that a Chinese vessel entered Indonesia’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the northern Natuna islands on Saturday and left on Monday after radio challenges over jurisdiction, Aan Kurnia, chief of the maritime security agency, Bakamla, told Reuters.

Indonesia now vows to increase maritime security operations near some of its islands in the South China Sea after the Chinese coastguard vessel was spotted nearby, raising suspicions about its intentions, a senior security official said on Tuesday.