China Issues Warning To Vietnam To Stop Oil Exploration

China Tells Vietnam To Halt Oil Exploration In Disputed Waters -- Reuters

* China disputes Vietnam's account of incident last week
* China repeats warning against "unilateral" oil and gas exploration
* South China Sea is one of Asia's most sensitive military hotspots

BEIJING, Dec 6 (Reuters) - China told Vietnam on Thursday to stop unilateral oil exploration in disputed areas of the South China Sea and not harass Chinese fishing boats, raising tensions in a protracted maritime territorial dispute with its neighbour.

Vietnam had already expelled Chinese fishing vessels from waters near China's southern Hainan province, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing.

Hong's description of the confrontation last Friday was in contrast to the account by Vietnam, which said a Vietnamese ship had a seismic cable it was pulling cut by two Chinese fishing ships.

"Vietnam's statement is inconsistent with the facts," Hong said.

Read more ....

More News On The Territorial Disputes Between China And Vietnam

China Warns Vietnam to Stop Oil Exploration in Disputed Region -- Voice of America
China urges Vietnam to stop unilateral oil, gas exploration in South China Sea -- Xinhuanet
Beijing Rebukes Hanoi on Oil -- Radio Free Asia
Vietnam ordered to halt oil search -- Scotsman
Beijing rejects Hanoi's fishing boat allegation -- China Daily
China warns Vietnam to stop oil exploration -- Today Online
South China Sea: China, Vietnam Clash Over Oil Exploration, Fishing -- International Business Times
South China Sea: Going to Get Worse Before It (Might) Gets Better -- Joshua Kurlantzick, Council On Foreign Relations

My Comment: Everyone knows that the Vietnamese are not going to listen to the Chinese .... so what is next? To save face, China will now have to do something.

In Response To China, Indian Navy Set To Protect Oil Interests In South China Sea

India Vows to Protect S. China Sea Interests -- Voice of America

NEW DELHI — As India vows to protect its interests in the South China Sea, China has reiterated that it has indisputable sovereignty of the islands and the surrounding waters. India is not directly involved in the disputes over the South China Sea, but has begun gas exploration in the waters which China claims.

Navy Chief Admiral, D.K. Joshi made the assertion that India will not back off from protecting its maritime and economic interests.

Joshi said Monday that although India is not a territorial claimant to the South China Sea, it will deploy naval vessels there as necessary. India’s state-run oil agency, Oil And Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has a stake in a portion of the sea which Vietnam says is its exclusive economic zone.

Read more ....

More News On Rising Tensions In The South China Sea

India stands firm on South China Sea -- UPI
Indian interests in South China sea being protected -- Hindustan Times
Gunboat diplomacy: Indian navy ready to set sail to South China Sea -- RT
Indian navy ready to deploy to S. China Sea -- The Sun Daily
Ready to protect Indian interests in South China Sea: Navy Chief -- Indian Express
Ready to tackle China sea threat: Navy chief -- Times of India
South China Sea: Vietnam, India Boost Maritime Presence To Thwart Chinese Threat -- International Business Times
Vietnam Adds Sea Patrols Amid Tensions With China -- Voice of America
Vietnam condemns China's sea claims as 'serious violation' -- Times of India/Reuters
Vietnam Accuses Chinese Ships -- Wall Street Journal
China warns India against oil exploitation -- Global Times
Dispute Flares Over Energy in South China Sea -- New York Times

ASEAN Chief Worries That China Is Deliberately Raising South China Sea Tensions

ASEAN Chief Worries Beijing Raising Stakes in South China Sea -- Voice of America

South-East Asia's leading diplomat is joining those worried China is dangerously raising tensions over the disputed South China Sea.

ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan says Beijing's plan to possibly board and search foreign ships is alarming.

“Certainly it has raised a lot of concern and anxiety and I think it is creating a bit of a general sense that the situation is becoming more tense.''

Surin has been urging all parties to agree to a code of conduct for an area considered by many to be a potential military flashpoint.

Read more ....

More News On China Escalating Tensions In The South China Sea

ASEAN chief says China plan on disputed seas escalates tension -- Reuters
Asean chief Surin Pitsuwan warns on China's ship patrol plan -- BBC
China issues new warning -- UPI
China gives police more sea rights: state media -- AFP
China plan to board ships sets off alarm -- Inquirer.net
Law enhances Chinese police's power in disputed South China Sea -- L.A. Times
New Chinese Law Allows for Search, Expulsion of Foreign Ships -- Voice of America

China Plans To Board And Search Ships That Enter What It Considers It's Territorial Waters In The South China Sea

Voice of America

Chinese Police Plan To Board Ships In Disputed Seas -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Police in the southern Chinese island province of Hainan will board and search ships which enter into what China considers its territorial waters in the disputed South China Sea, state media said on Thursday, a move which could raise tensions further.

The South China Sea is Asia's biggest potential military trouble spot with several Asian countries claiming sovereignty.

New rules, which come into effect on January 1, will allow Hainan police to board and seize control of foreign ships which "illegally enter" Chinese waters and order them to change course or stop sailing, the official China Daily reported.

Read more ....

My Comment: Talk about increasing the tensions in the region. The other countries in the region will not abide by this Chinese decision .... and to save face, I do not see China backing down either.

Tensions Continue At Asean Summit Over South China Seas Boundaries Dispute

Tensions Flare Over South China Sea At Asian Summit -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Japan warned on Monday that a row over the South China Sea could damage "peace and stability" in Asia as China stalled on a plan to ease tensions and disagreements flared between the Philippines and Cambodia over the dispute.

The acrimony provided an uneasy backdrop to U.S. President Barack Obama's arrival in Cambodia for a regional summit where he is expected to urge China and Southeast Asian nations to resolve the row, one of Asia's biggest security issues.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda challenged efforts by summit host Cambodia, a staunch China ally, to limit discussions on the mineral-rich sea, where China's territorial claims overlap those of four Southeast Asian countries and of Taiwan.

Read more ....

Update: Regional tensions flare at Asean summit -- Financial Times

My Comment: For South East Asian countries one of their priorities is to discuss their territorial disputes with China .... but the Chinese position on the South China Seas dispute is simple .... there is nothing to negotiate. This is not going over well with the other countries .... hence the rise in tensions and a push among many of these nations to now form an alliance on this issue.

U.S. - Chinese Tensions Rise Over The South China Sea

Tensions Rise In South China Sea -- Wall Street Journal

BEIJING—China signaled increasing tension with the U.S. over the disputed South China Sea, as it summoned a U.S. diplomat to refute a State Department accusation that Beijing is hampering diplomatic efforts to defuse long-simmering tensions.

The Foreign Ministry on Saturday said it summoned the U.S. deputy chief of mission in Beijing, Robert Wang, to present "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition" to a U.S. statement on Friday. On Friday, the U.S. said China's recent decision to establish a military garrison in the South China Sea and elevate the administrative status of an island outpost in waters claimed by both China and the Philippines risked further inflaming tension there.

Read more ....

More News On The Rise Of U.S. - Chinese Tensions Over The South China Sea

China rebukes US diplomat for sending 'wrong signal' on South China Sea -- The Guardian
China calls in U.S. diplomat over South China Sea -- Reuters
South China Sea dispute: China summons US diplomat -- BBC
China Says U.S. Sending ‘Wrong Signal’ on South China Sea -- Bloomberg Businessweek
China summons US diplomat in row over South China Sea -- Deutsche Welle

WNU Editor: What prompted the Chinese reaction was this report.