Oil Deal Raises Spratly Tensions

China and Vietnam are publicly at odds over a joint oil exploration project between U.S. energy giant ExxonMobil and Vietnam’s state-run Petro Vietnam in waters claimed by both Beijing and Hanoi.

2008.07.30
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VietnamChinaSeaDispute305.png Map showing disputed area between Vietnam and China.
Graphic: RFA

>>> View the map in pdf file

The dispute centers on the Spratly Islands, a rocky archipelago without confirmed oil or gas reserves that is also claimed wholly or partially by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.

The United States has refused to take sides and is calling for a legal resolution to the competing claims.

“We support the expansion of economic ties between the United States and Vietnam, including growing investment activity by U.S. firms,” a State Department spokeswoman said. “The United States does not take sides on the legal merits of the competing sovereignty claims in the South China Sea. We object, however, to any attempt to pressure U.S. firms operating in that area.”

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Anonymous
Nov 24, 2009 07:31 AM

with out frontier in the past centuries in Asians hemisphere,wars,land disputed,power,fame,rich,communist,invasion,aggressor all kind that stuffs,that cause most Asia countries and slowly growth economically unliked the western world.So many ideology and conflicts are facing to every young Asian's X-generation,because the older X-dead log

Anonymous
Nov 24, 2009 08:04 AM

Y some communist country are stil haunting to theirs own people in Southeast asia.Who's the most suffering?Dictatorship or nonsense people.A fear it only fear itself.We the human been we speach to the people who ever never hear that voive and give those live and seed to grow and prosperity for every Asia country.