(From AFP)
Indonesia will sharply strengthen security around its South China Sea islands where there have been clashes with Chinese vessels, the defense minister said on Wednesday, a day after Beijing’s claims in the sea were declared invalid.
In an interview with AFP, Ryamizard Ryacudu said bolstering defenses around Indonesia’s Natuna Islands would involve deploying warships, an F-16 fighter jet, surface-to-air missiles, a radar and drones, as well as constructing new ports and improving an airstrip.
The military build-up, which started in recent months, would be completed in “less than a year,” he said.
“This will be our eyes and ears,” the retired general said. Read More