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China opposes oil exploration in South China Sea after India, Vietnam sign pact

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China today warned that it will firmly oppose any exploration activity in South China Sea if it undermines its "sovereignty and interests", hours after India inked a pact with Vietnam for exploration in two additional oil and gas blocks in the the resource-rich area. "As for the likely exploration of South China Sea oil fields between Vietnam and India, I want to say that China's position is consistent and clear," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.

Hong was reacting to reports of India accepting Vietnam's offer of additional blocks for oil exploration during the current visit by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to New Delhi. "China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha islands. Any lawful and justifiable oil exploration activity in the South China Sea is fine by us. But if such activity undermines sovereignty and interests of China we are firmly opposed to this," he said. "Currently South China maintains tranquillity in general. I wish all countries do more things that are conducive to the peace and stability of the South China Sea," Hong said.

China refers to Spartly islands which is comprised of more than 750 reefs, islets and atolls as Nansha islands. China's claims of sovereignty to almost all of the South China Sea put it on collision course with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

The ONGC has explored some wells in the past but did not find significant oil deposits. China had struck a similar posture when Vietnam offered new wells to India during President Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Hanoi in September. 

Mukherjee dismissed Chinese objections saying that the ONGC is exploring in the South China Sea from 1988. "This is just a commercial action. There shouldn't be any political angularity to be looked into it," he had said.

The oil exploration in the South China Sea is a sensitive issue as China's efforts to explore oil in May this year resulted in massive showdown between China and Vietnam with their ships colliding with each other for days. Some Chinese were killed and over a hundred injured in anti-China riots in Vietnam. After that, the two sides are now trying to rebuild their relations. 

Responding to Dung's comments seeking India's active support to peacefully resolve the South China Sea dispute, Hong said, "I want to point out that the South China Sea disputes should be resolved through dialogue and consultations of the countries directly involved on the basis of respect of historical facts and international laws. This is in line with international laws and practices and also consensus reached by China and ASEAN countries in the DOC (Declaration of the conduct). Countries directly involved in the dispute strived to resolve the dispute through negotiations and consultation. Their efforts should be respected by relevant countries," Hong said.

Significantly, China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi was in Hanoi yesterday holding talks with top Vietnamese leaders. Hong said in his talks with Vietnamese leaders, Yang has stressed that the two countries should maintain the right direction of the bilateral relations and press ahead with pragmatic cooperation.

After the talks between Yang and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, both sides agreed to push forward the "Action Plan for Implementing the China-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership." Both countries agreed to properly handle maritime issues in accordance with the spirit of relevant agreements and consensus and seek basic and lasting solutions acceptable to both sides by fully utilising the bilateral governmental mechanism on border negotiation. They also agreed to control and manage their maritime differences, avoid taking any actions that might complicate and aggravate the disputes so as to safeguard the China-Vietnam relations as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea. 

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