evidence: The past week has brought news about the activity of Chinese ships around the Natuna Islands, in particular, the presence of the Chinese destroyer Kunming 172 inside Indonesia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). According to local media reports Indonesian fishermen reported the presence of the Chinese vessel and other ships. This came after a Chinese survey ship escorted by China Coast Guard vessels was spotted last month sailing in the waters of the North Natuna Sea, as the Indonesian government refers to the waters around the Natuna islands. Given that the Chinese survey ship continues to lurk in the waters around the Natuna Islands, the Indonesian government must respond to the presence of Chinese ships in its 200-nautical-mile EEZ by making approaches through diplomatic channels and taking other constructive steps to protect the country’s national interests, including the security of Indonesian citizens who are carrying out economic activities in the Indonesian EEZ. [...] To deal with these two possible Chinese motives, the Indonesian government will certainly not open negotiations over the maritime boundaries around the Natuna Islands, recognizing that the "nine-dash line" claim has no legal basis and was declared invalid by an international arbitral tribunal in 2016. The country therefore needs to negotiate maritime boundaries and the protection and utilization of natural resources with neighboring countries that claim territories in the South China Sea, namely Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The results of these negotiations should then be immediately submitted to the United Nations in accordance with Article 75 of UNCLOS.