Papua New Guinea’s government has said it was not told about a large drone believed to belong to China that flew into its airspace last month.
The drone was sighted near Mabuduan, a village on Papua New Guinea’s southern coast, at night on 11 February. A Chinese navy vessel also sailed through the Torres Strait that day.
“It doesn't matter which country it is, if they are entering into our sovereign territory you would expect the courtesy of them telling us what they are doing,” said Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko.
Tkatchenko said China’s government did not disclose drone activity around Papua New Guinea.
China’s ambassador briefed Papua New Guinea’s officials shortly before the Chinese Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang entered the country’s waters, according to Tkatchenko, though only on the same day Australia contacted Papua New Guinea about the issue.
The drone flew around six kilometres inland from Mabuduan while the Hengyang passed through Torres Strait. The Hengyang then joined two other Chinese vessels, with the three ships conducting live fire drills in the Tasman Sea around 10 days later.
A Chinese military aircraft also released flares in front of an Australian Air Force jet in the South China Sea on 11 February. “That is an action that we've declared as being unsafe,” said Defence Minister Richard Marles at the time.
The Hengyang, as well as a Chinese military cruiser and replenishment ship, operate 314 kilometres southwest of Perth today. The Ministry of Defence has said it is monitoring the group of vessels.
