They will join warships in the South China Sea to defend against Chinese vessels.
Indonesia will mobilise fishermen to join warships in the South China Sea to help defend against Chinese vessels, the government said on Monday, as the biggest stand-off with China for years escalated off Southeast Asia's largest country.
The stand-off since last month in the northern Natuna islands, where a Chinese coastguard vessel has accompanied Chinese fishing vessels, has soured the generally friendly relationship between Jakarta and Beijing. "We want to mobilise our fishermen from the north coast and maybe in turn from other areas to operate by fishing there and other things," Mahfud said.
Indonesian vessels often confront Chinese fishermen off the Natuna islands, but the presence of the Chinese coastguard vessel has marked an escalation this year over which Indonesia summoned the Chinese ambassador.
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