We need more ships against China now, we just have a new conflict with CN in its U-shape line
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Letting ships get close to the Russian-Vietnamese oil rig, China increases the risk of conflict
BBC News Vietnamese
May 12, 2023
A Chinese research vessel escorted by the coast guard and nearly a dozen boats entered an oil and gas block operated by Russian and Vietnamese state-owned companies on May 10, a potential flashpoint. other capabilities in the South China Sea.
Chinese research vessels, two coast guard vessels and 11 fishing boats entered Block 04-03 of Vietsovpetro, a joint venture between Russia's Zarubezhneft and PetroVietnam, data from two independent monitoring vessels seen by Reuters showed.
The Chinese vessel group is also near blocks 05-1 B and 05-1 C, operated by Idemitsu Oil & Gas, a unit of Japan's Idemitsu Kosan.
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This follows Beijing's recent assertive moves in neighboring countries' exclusive economic zones (EEZs), as Beijing pushes to claim almost the entire South China Sea, testing challenge the United States and its allies at a time of heightened tensions in the region.
The move on May 10, according to Dr. Ha Hoang Hop from Hanoi, is that "China is using its coast guard and armed fishing boats to threaten and disrupt energy activities off the coast of Vietnam. South (and Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines), to assert China's sovereignty in the South China Sea."
China's foreign ministry said such activities were "normal":
"China's scientific research and fishing vessels carry out normal production and working activities in the waters under China's jurisdiction," the ministry said.
Previously, on March 27, a Vietnamese ship followed a Chinese Coast Guard ship when it approached a gas field exploited by Russia in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the East Sea. of Vietnam, according to Reuters.
On May 11, according to AFP, at the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, ASEAN leaders discussed "serious incidents" in the South China Sea and opened negotiations between the bloc and China. on a code of conduct to reduce the risk of conflict.
ASEAN nations Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam also make claims to parts of the waterway, waters through which about $3 trillion in annual trade passes.
President Widodo made on behalf of ASEAN leaders, ASEAN reiterated its call for self-restraint in the disputed South China Sea to prevent miscalculation and the risk of conflict.
BBC
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The Vietnamese vessel followed a Chinese Coast Guard vessel as it approached a Russian-exploited gas field in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in March 2023.
China moves closer to the border of peace and conflict
According to Mr. Hop's observation, both times the Chinese ships approached Russian and Vietnamese oil and gas blocks in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone, they had the same nature that "China used tactical actions in the area to avoid the loss of oil and gas. gray to different degrees to assert China's sovereignty along the nine-dash line in the South China Sea."
The difference is that this time, he said, the Chinese ships did not get too close to Zarubezhneft's mining sites.
This is also the first time China has used fishing boats - militia to escort, with a larger number of coast guard ships than before.
"China blatantly harasses the oil and gas exploitation activities of Vietnam, Russia and Japan, using gray zone tactics. The technical purpose of the research vessel may be to collect seismic data, measure radiation, hydrological survey ...," said Mr. Hop.
View attachment 58276
Lô : Area
Red line: CN U-shape line
Black line : VN EEZ
Tàu nghiên cứu Trung Quốc, hai tàu tuần duyên và 11 tàu đánh cá đã vào lô 04-03 của Vietsovpetro, một liên doanh giữa Zarubezhneft của Nga và PetroVietnam ở Biển Đông.
www.bbc.com