Jakarta must seek common good, not conflict at sea

China-Indonesia relations have been in the news since Indonesian navy ships fired warning shots at Chinese fishing boats in a disputed fishing ground in the South China Sea on June 17. So far, China has exercised utmost restraint in the case, reflecting its diplomatic maturity and the importance it attaches to Beijing-Jakarta ties.

Yet Indonesia's reaction to the incident shows it might be thinking differently. On Thursday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo held a cabinet meeting on a navy ship that was involved in firing the warning shots and detaining Chinese fishing vessels and their crew. This suggests Indonesia has adopted a hard-line policy toward China. Also, Indonesian Security Minister Luhut Panjaitan told The Jakarta Post that Widodo's move was aimed at sending a "clear message" that Indonesia was "very serious in its effort to protect its sovereignty".

China and Indonesia have spats over fishing rights from time to time because Beijing and Jakarta are yet to sign a fishery agreement.