The Indonesian Foreign Ministry urged not to create military blocs in the Pacific region.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that the Indo-Pacific region should be a peaceful territory, free from military alliances, as it is rich in resources and contains the most strategically important sea routes in the world.

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“Our waters should not be used as a battlefield or a platform for attacking others. We must prevent our region from becoming a hotbed of conflict,” the Indonesian Foreign Minister said at the ASEAN Maritime Forum, held on August 2 in Bali.

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The minister added that Indonesian territorial waters should not be used for “unnecessary displays of force” or for “creating alliances to dominate other countries.”

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Marsudi also explained that for the past five decades, ASEAN has sought to prevent potential conflicts, including through respect for international law. However, according to her, the countries of Southeast Asia should find their own ways and means of regulating their behavior in the waters of the Indo-Pacific region.

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The ASEAN Maritime Forum was attended by 18 countries under the East Asia Forum Mechanism (EAF), which includes ten ASEAN member countries, as well as Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the United States.