Indonesia's Effort to Enforce the Sovereign Right in the North Natuna Sea amid the South China Sea Conflict

The conflict in the South China Sea is one of the conflicts in the ASEAN region. Indonesia's involvement in the South China Sea conflict began in 2012, when the People's Republic of China (PRC) made absolute claims over the entire South China Sea territory. This absolute claim also includes the North Natuna Sea area which intersects with the PRC's nine dash line claims. This paper attempts to elaborate on Indonesia's position in the conflict with the PRC in the North Natuna Sea using game theory and policies that have been and might be able to be implemented by Indonesia based on offense-defense theory and total defense doctrine. Indonesia is considered to have to avoid potential open conflicts that may occur with the PRC. Thus, it is considered that Indonesia should prioritize defensive action rather than offensive one. Policies in the form of increasing military presence and voicing rejection of the PRC's claims that have been applied so far are considered appropriate. However, alternative policies are needed to support the enforcement of Indonesia's sovereign rights in EEZ of the North Natuna Sea in the framework of total defense doctrine, among others, by increasing natural resource exploration in the North Natuna Sea and empowering fishermen there to maximize the presence of Indonesia in the area.