OPINION | Indonesia unlikely to follow the Philippines' transparency against China

However, it is difficult to determine whether the transparency meets its objective.

An article in Fulcrum argued that if the initiative aimed to raise domestic and international awareness of China’s coercive behaviour, it might be successful. However, if it aimed to dissuade and change China’s behaviour, it might not be so successful. Indeed, China has reportedly conducted a number of intrusions since the transparency initiative’s implementation.

China’s provocative behaviour is not only particular to the Philippines; other claimant states in the South China Sea, including Vietnam and Malaysia, have reportedly been targets of China’s coercive behaviour.

Additionally, while it is not a claimant state, Indonesia has also faced Chinese aggression in the North Natuna Sea, where China’s nine-dash line and Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone overlap.