- China and Vietnam are fighting in the disputed South China Sea leading to heightened tensions between both countries.
- The Vietnamese government,protesting the deployment of an oil rig by China off the contested Paracel Islands(South China Sea), accused the 40 Chinese fishing boats of ramming their vessel causing it to sink.
- China denied it & accused Vietnamese fishing boats of having “harassed and collided” with Chinese vessels.
- China even accused Vietnam ships of disrupting its oil rig off the Paracel Islands, which Beijing claims.
- Hanoi has opposed the deployment, saying the waters were within its exclusive economic zone(200 nautical miles from its coastline).
- The Chinese operator of the oil rig, China Oilfield Services Limited (COSL),reported that the rig finished its first round of drilling and has moved to a different location, with poential of easing tensions between them.
- Read at: http://www.thehindu.com/
todays-paper/tp-international/ sinking-of-vietnamese-ship- fans-china-tensions/ article6055216.ece
Exams Perspective:
- South China Sea
- Disputed islands in South China Sea
- EEZ
- China Vietnam Relations
