The South China Sea territorial dispute remains a contentious issue, with various parties claiming ownership or control over the vast and resource-rich waters. In recent weeks, tensions have flared up once again, with reports of Indonesia sinking Chinese fishing vessels in the region. However, as with many such news items, the truth behind these reports is often more complex than what initially meets the eye. In this article, we will take a closer look at the claims that Indonesia has sunk Chinese fishing vessels in the South China Sea, and separate fact from fiction to provide a clearer picture of what is really happening in the region.
A recent Facebook video spreading the claim that the Indonesian Navy sank 60 Chinese fishing vessels on March 29, 2023, in response to Chinese provocations is false, according to Rappler. The video has already garnered over 3.1 million views, 121,000 reactions, and 7,900 comments as of writing.
Indonesia has a history of aggressively sinking vessels captured for illegal fishing purposes, however, the last incident of the country sinking fishing vessels was on May 4, 2019, and not on March 29, 2023. The viral Facebook video claimed that the sinking of these vessels was in line with Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo’s recent push to turn Indonesia into a “regional maritime power.”
In reality, the last time Indonesia sank fishing vessels was in 2016. Specifically, the country’s Navy sank 60 foreign fishing vessels on Indonesia’s Independence Day that year for engaging in illegal fishery in the country’s territorial waters. These vessels were not solely from China, as claimed in the viral video. Prior to that, in May 2015, Indonesia sank 41 fishing vessels from different countries, including China, Vietnam, and the Philippines because of President Widodo’s crackdown on illegal fishing – which reportedly costs the Indonesian economy $20 billion annually. Vessels from Thailand and Malaysia have also been sunk by Indonesia’s Navy due to the crackdown.
Rappler reports that Indonesia has a history of sinking captured vessels that were deemed to be engaged in illegal fishing, and that from October 2014 to 2020, the Indonesian Navy had sunk at least 550 fishing vessels. With its vast maritime territories, Indonesia has struggled to ward off illegal fishers. By sinking the captured vessels, the government aims to deter illegal fishing practices.
The Facebook video’s claim that Indonesia sank 60 Chinese fishing vessels recently is untrue. While Indonesia has a history of sinking vessels used for illegal fishing practices, the last time this happened was on May 4, 2019. The Facebook video and its claims are false and inaccurate.
