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Indonesia has deployed a warship to its North Natuna Sea to monitor a Chinese coast guard vessel that has been active in a resource-rich maritime area, the country’s naval chief said on Saturday of an area that both countries claim as their own.
Ship tracking data shows the vessel, CCG 5901, has been sailing in the Natuna Sea, particularly near the Tuna Bloc gas field and the Vietnamese Chim Sao oil and gas field since December 30, the Indonesian Ocean Justice Initiative told Reuters.
A warship, maritime patrol plane and drone had been deployed to monitor the vessel, Laksamana Muhammad Ali, the chief of the Indonesian navy, told Reuters.
“The Chinese vessel has not conducted any suspicious activities,” he said. “However, we need to monitor it as it has been in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for some time.”
A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Jakarta was not immediately available for comment.


note: from Al Jazeera -

China’s CCG 5901 is the world’s largest coast guard vessel and is nicknamed the “the monster” due to its size. >

Regional powers need some regional counterbalances so they don't become the 800 lbs gorilla. >

Chinese are not afraid to assert their influence wherever they want. I would not expect any formal response from them. They are checking that area for future use and value while monitoring who and how they respond.