Indonesia threatens missile attacks against intrusions in South China

Tensions near the South China Sea region have been raised a notch after Indonesia indicated that it is considering deploying ship-launched missiles against foreign fishing vessels that intrude into its territorial waters.

The remark was made by Indonesia's newly appointed co-ordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, on 25 November during a press conference at the presidential palace in Jakarta.

The ex-Indonesian Navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL) chief was briefing reporters on the arrest of 10 foreign fishing vessels that had intruded into the country's territorial waters. Some of these vessels were detained in the Natuna Islands region near the southern tip of the South China Sea on 19 November.