Indonesia Seeks to Assert Authority in Waters in South China Sea
- Govt to develop fishing hub by end of year, says minister
- Area has seen past clashes between Indonesia and China
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Indonesia plans to develop lucrative fishing grounds in the South China Sea as part of efforts to assert its sovereign authority over waters in which it has clashed with China.
The Natuna Islands on the edge of the South China Sea, rich in gas and fish stocks, would be developed into a fishing hub, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan said Friday, according to the Jakarta Post. The government plans to build cold-storage facilities and use satellites and drones to help Indonesian fishing vessels operating in the surrounding waters, with the hub to be operational by the end of the year.