JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said he would "always safeguard our sovereignty" when asked about the issue of the South China Sea, adding partnerships are better than conflicts and that "we respect all powers".

The president said Jakarta will safeguard its sovereignty in the contested waterway days after signing a maritime deal with Beijing.

Over the weekend, the two nations signed a joint development agreement that refers to “overlapping claims” in the disputed waterway.