Jakarta, April 22 -- Foreign Minister Sugiono said that a US warship passing through the Malacca Strait on April 18 was part of freedom of navigation in international waters.

"It is called a freedom of navigation patrol. That is nothing new," Sugiono told reporters after a press conference at the Presidential Staff Office in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Indonesian Navy Spokesperson First Admiral Tunggul earlier confirmed the US warship was only exercising the right of transit passage-which was valid under the UNCLOS.

According to Tunggul, such a right can be exercised by foreign vessels as the Malacca Strait is an international shipping lane bordering Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

The Indonesian Navy stressed that all vessels passing t...