The US Department of State has again raised voice against China’s continuing harassment of Vietnam’s longstanding oil and gas activities in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea (SCS), and opposes efforts by China to threaten or coerce partner countries into withholding cooperation with non-Chinese firms.
State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus. Photo: Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
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China’s redeployment of a government-owned survey vessel, together with armed escorts, into waters offshore Vietnam near Vanguard Bank on August 13, is an escalation by Beijing in its efforts to intimidate other claimants out of developing resources in the SCS, the spokesperson added.
She noted that in recent weeks, China has taken a series of aggressive steps to interfere with ASEAN claimants’ longstanding, well-established economic activities, in an attempt both to coerce them to reject partnerships with foreign oil and gas firms, and to work only with China’s state-owned enterprises. In the case of Vanguard Bank, China is pressuring Vietnam over its work with a Russian energy firm and other international partners.
“China’s actions undermine regional peace and security, impose economic costs on Southeast Asian states by blocking their access to an estimated $2.5 trillion in unexploited hydrocarbon resources, and demonstrate China’s disregard for the rights of countries to undertake economic activities in their EEZs, under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, which China ratified in 1996,” the statement adds.
The department stressed that US companies also carry out exploration and extraction of hydrocarbon resources, including offshore and in the South China Sea.
“The United States therefore strongly opposes any efforts by China to threaten or coerce partner countries into withholding cooperation with non-Chinese firms, or otherwise harassing their cooperative activities.
The United States is committed to bolstering the energy security of our partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific region and in ensuring uninterrupted regional oil and gas production for the global market.”
This is not the first time the US Department of State expressed its concern over Beijing’s aggressiveness in the SCS. On July 20, Morgan Ortagus stated the US is concerned by reports of China’s interference with oil and gas activities in this resources-rich sea, including Vietnam’s long-standing exploration and production activities.
China’s repeated provocative actions aimed at the offshore oil and gas development of other claimant states threaten regional energy security and undermine the free and open Indo-Pacific energy market, the spokesperson said.
Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 22 confirmed that Chinese survey ship Haiyang Dizhi 8 and escorts had returned to Vietnam’s Bai Tu Chinh (Vanguard Bank) which lies within the country’s EEZ and continental shelf.
She demanded China immediately withdraw all ships out of Vietnam’s EEZ in the SCS, and noted that Vietnam's maritime enforcement forces determined to protect Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereignty rights and jurisdiction.
