Indonesia will push for a maritime code of conduct for the South China Sea and seek clarification from Manila over its apparent shift in policy toward talks with China on joint maritime exploration in the region, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said yesterday. The undertaking comes a day after Foreign Minister Julie Bishop signalled Australia’s desire to present a united front on the South China Sea with Indonesia to encourage China to “respect international law and resolve disputes peacefully”. Ms Bishop flew into Jakarta yesterday and headed straight into a meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Ms Marsudi to discuss his planned state visit to Australia next month.