Indonesia, China Hold Brief Talks Over South China Sea
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Jumat, 19 Oktober 2018 22:17 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto on Thursday received Yang Jiechi, State Councilor for the People’s Republic of China, at the Shangri-La Hotel in South Jakarta.
During the meeting, Minister Djoko said they briefly discussed the issue of the South China Sea.
"Yet (the conversation with Yang Jiechi) did not delve into technical matters," said Djoko.
The former commander for the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) said Indonesia and China both respect the boundaries of each state and have agreed to use the South China Sea to serve the interests of both nations.
The two nations agreed to commit to a bilateral partnership in maritime affairs yet Djoko admitted the mechanism has yet to be implemented by neither Indonesia nor China.
The South China Sea is a strategic location that borders Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and China. Ongoing disputes have sparked tension over overlapping territorial claims.
INDRA WIJAYA
