BBC 1 March 2012
 |
China and the Philippines both claim areas in
the South
China Sea, including the Spratly islands
|
A China Daily editorial called Manila a
"troublemaker" and criticised its move to allow oil and gas companies
to bid for contracts in two offshore areas.
Both countries claim sovereignty over the areas in the South
China Sea.
The exchange began after Manila said on Monday that it would
start awarding exploration contracts next month.
The territorial dispute in the South China Sea between China
and the Philippines has been going on for decades.
But the exchange of words between the two countries spiked
after the Philippines' announcement that two offshore areas 49 miles (79km) off
Palawan were to be included in the bid for oil and gas licences.
China states its "indisputable sovereignty" in the
China Daily editorial, warning that the Philippines "should assume direct
responsibility for the fresh flare up of the South China Sea issue".
Earlier this week, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong
Lei also said that it was "unlawful for any country or company to explore
oil and gas in areas under Chinese jurisdiction".
But the Philippines insists it does not need China's
permission.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the oil
and gas contracts off Palawan did not need Beijing's approval and that under
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the area was
"well within our sovereignty".
Last year, the Philippines claimed that China had repeatedly
intruded into its territorial waters in relation to oil exploration in a
separate area near Palawan.
China is engaged in multiple territorial disputes in the
South China Sea with its neighbours, including Vietnam and Malaysia.
Vietnam this week lodged a protest with China after 11
fishermen were reportedly assaulted by Chinese forces in a disputed area on 22
February after they reportedly tried to avoid a storm.
4 comments:
As you can see it on the map. Spratly Island does not belong to China. I don't know why China claimed it's their. The island is not even near close to them
The U.S. claim Guam and Somao as parts of its sovereign even though it is thousand of miles from mainland U.S.A. British claimed Fahkland islands and military defended against Argentina. If the Chinese is smart, they would move people into the area. Possesion is 90% of the law.
Whoever got the biggest guns make the law. The US is the only superpower who can stop China from taking SEA. Without the US, it's a done deal already.
don't depends too much on U.S. We have our own problems to deal with.
if things gets bad, a few atomic bombs dropped here and there will get rid of some of the problems
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