South China Sea Dispute
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Why Did China Set Up an Oil Rig Within Vietnamese Waters?
The who, what, where, when and how of China’s HD-981 oil rig foray into Vietnamese waters have been addressed comprehensively, both by commentators here at The Diplomat and elsewhere. The enduring question, as with many of China’s provocative actions in the Asia-Pacific, remains why? The opacity of China’s internal decision-making processes makes it rather difficult to conclusively answer that question, but a good amount […]
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In High Seas, China Moves Unilaterally
BEIJING — It is the pride of China’s state-run oil industry and the nation’s first deepwater drilling rig, a vessel as big as a football field and as tall as a 40-story building, with a $1 billion price tag. Last week, it crawled through the South China Sea, pulled by heavy-duty tugs, and parked in […]
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Beijing adopts contrasting approaches in South China Sea spats
China, Domestic Policy, Illegal Fishing, Intentional Rammings, Oil Rig, Paracels, Philippines, Poaching, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, VietnamChina is adopting very different approaches to disputes with Vietnam and the Philippines in the contested South China Sea, reports Duowei News, an outlet run by overseas Chinese. On May 4, Chinese and Vietnamese naval ships engaged in a tense standoff near a Chinese oil rig in disputed waters off the Paracel Islands in the […]
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Former border chief rejects China’s drilling excuses
A former Vietnamese official has denounced China’s claim that its dispatch of an oil rig to the East Sea is a ‘normal activity’, citing expert analysts who argue that the move has triggered a new crisis and a soft invasion of the area. In his article, former head of the National Boundary Commission Tran Cong […]
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China sends fighter jets to guard illegal oil rig in Vietnam’s waters
China has dispatched fighter jets to join the group of vessels tasked with guarding oil rig HD 981 illegally planted in Vietnam’s waters, infringing the Southeast Asian country’s sea and airspace sovereignty, Colonel Ngo Ngoc Thu, Vice Commander and Chief of Staff of Vietnam’s Coast Guard, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Sunday. On Saturday […]
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China ‘determined’ to change status quo in South China Sea
The confrontation began on May 2 when the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation placed its deep sea drilling rig HD-981 in disputed waters of the South China Sea. As Vietnam objected, China deployed some 80 ships, including seven military vessels, along with aircraft to support the rig. Hanoi reacted by dispatching 29 ships to […]
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Intl community should never accept China’s behavior in South China Sea
China, Illegal Fishing, Intentional Rammings, Oil Rig, Paracels, Philippines, Poaching, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, VietnamChinese and Vietnamese patrol ships are squaring off in the South China Sea—a situation which could develop into a military clash if one false step is taken. It is, therefore, important for both nations to exercise restraint. Over the last several days, many Chinese and Vietnamese ships rammed into each other near the Paracel Islands […]
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Implications of the Philippines-US military deal
Ayungin Shoal, Bajo de Masinloc, China, EDCA, Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, Philippines, Scarborough Shoal, South China Sea Dispute, UNCLOSPresident Barack Obama’s visit to the Philippines, the last leg of his recent 4-nation Asian tour, produced a new bilateral defense agreement that was touted by some observers as the single most significant outcome of his regional foray. The agreement was said to contribute to his goals of reassuring allies and signaling that the United […]
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Vietnam sea spat part of China’s larger strategy: experts
China, Illegal Fishing, Intentional Rammings, Oil Rig, Paracels, Philippines, Poaching, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, VietnamChina sending an oil rig to waters disputed with Vietnam is a move to assert its legal claim and practical hold over contested territory whatever the short-term political and diplomatic costs, analysts say — but could play into Washington’s hands. Beijing’s controversial move to dispatch the deep-water rig along with a reported 70 vessels triggered […]
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ASEAN Leaders Summit to Take Place Amid South China Sea Concerns
Leaders from the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will meet in in Napyidaw, Myanmar this weekend. The meeting is historic due to its venue: Myanmar is hosting an ASEAN summit for the first time. However, the meeting unfortunately coincides with two major maritime disputes between two ASEAN states and […]