Indonesia govt believes drone behind reliability scare was manufactured in China
The governor of Indonesia's South Sulawesi said on Tuesday an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) within the waters off his province which has sparked concern in regards to a potential security breach or espionage attempt appeared to be built in China. The automobile, described as a "seaglider" by the Indonesian navy, was found late previous month by fishermen off Sulawesi island and taken to Jakarta this week.Governor Nurdin Abdullah told Reuters "predicated on results, it seems enjoy it was manufactured in China."
"Whether it had been put there or who put it there is unidentified to us," he explained by phone. The Chinese embassy in Jakarta didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.The Indonesian archipelago straddles strategically important sea lanes used for trade, using its waters also house to rich fishing grounds and important energy reserves.
Indonesian security officials have previously voiced suspicion about Chinese maritime activities, amid elevated militarization by Beijing in waters around Southeast Asia which have raised regional tensions.Yudo Margono, the chief of staff to the navy, told a news briefing on Monday that an investigation have been launched and the automobile was able to accumulate hydro-oceanography data and may be used for army purposes.He as well said it had been unclear where it had originated and that no country had claimed the vehicle.
The United Nations Convention on regulations of the ocean (UNCLOS), to which Indonesia is party, says that marine scientific research in a country's exclusive monetary zone or on the continental shelf should just be conducted with the consent of the coastal state. Sukamta, a great Indonesian lawmaker on a good commission overseeing defence, urged authorities never to take too long to reveal the identification and origins of the "drone" to ensure that further action could possibly be taken.
