China-Indonesia sea spat escalates

Indonesia says it will prosecute the crew of a Chinese trawler accused of illegally fishing in Indonesian territorial waters, escalating a spat with Beijing and threatening to further inflame tensions in the disputed South China Sea

Rival claims

CHINA

TAIWAN

PHILIPPINES

VIETNAM

MALAYSIA

BRUNEI

THAILAND

CAMBODIA

MALAYSIA

China

Vietnam

Spratly Islands

Malaysia

INDONESIA

Taiwan

PACIFIC OCEAN

Scarborough Shoal

Paracel Islands

SOUTH CHINA SEA

Philippines

400km 250 miles

Brunei

March 19, Natuna Islands: Indonesian patrol vessel seizes Chinese trawler and arrests its crew. Chinese coast guardship subsequently frees trawler by ramming it, but eight crew members remain in Indonesian custody

Sources: Stratfor, wire agencies