JAKARTA - The Indonesian government has welcome the recent steps taken by the governments of China and the Philippines to ease tension in South China Sea, a minister said here Wednesday.

"The reported reassignment of the ships of the two countries from the disputed area has given a positive contribution to the effort to reduce tension between the two countries," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said in a statement.

"This progress is in in line with Indonesia's effort to encourage both countries to refrain from further escalation of tension and instead to promote peaceful solution," he added.

The Indonesian government reaffirmed the necessity to maintain the positive momentum in the implementation of the China-ASEAN Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.