China Withdraws Oil Rig From Vietnam's Exclusive Economic Zone

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NEW DELHI: China has withdrawn from its oil rig HD-981 and escort vessels out of Vietnam's Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf is the good news for the time being for the international community particularly India that has major economic and strategic interests in the region. But there is more to meets the eye in Chinese decision as it could be a well calculated strategy by Beijing to revive its interests at a later stage.
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China has faced reaction fiercely but resolutely by Vietnamese government and enforcement during last two months. It does not want Vietnam apply this case to International Tribunal. It also wants to prevent the US and other powers from engaging in South China Sea. So no doubtit was a diplomatic victory for Vietnam.

Beijing has faced pressure from regional and international opinion about its peaceful rise. Therefore China wants to display that this is a bilateral dispute and does not damage peace, security and prosperity in the region. It also looks for a face saving in the international arena, especially at the 6th BRICS Summit in Brazil last week and on the eve of ARF Meeting next month in Myanmar.

China also withdrew oil rig to avoid the typhoon Rammasun coming in the South China Sea that killed at least 27 people in the Philippines.

In this connection, it is necessary that China should not take its oil rigHaiyang Shiyou-981 back or dispatch any other rigs to Vietnam oil and gas block 143 or any other area belonging to Vietnam's waters as prescribed by UNCLOS 1982 in order to create a peaceful and stable environment in the South China Sea, according to experts.

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The experts feel that the ASEAN countries should unify and resolve the South China Sea disputes with China under international law. It is necessary to have some collective security mechanism in the region. The experts cautioned that the countries must be careful with what China is saying and doing.

It has come as good news for the Indian establishment as Delhi has major economic interests in the South China Sea region. However, it is keeping a close watch on the developments in the region in case Beijing wants to reassert itself again.

Since May 2, 2014, China’s rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 and a large number of escort ships, including military ships, have violated seriously the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf of Vietnam. The rig’s location was about 130 nautical miles from Vietnam coastal line. Chinese ships encircled and intentionally rammed at, fired high-pressure water canon on Vietnamese coast guard and fisheries surveillance vessels undertaking their maritime management missions in Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf. The actions by the Chinese side injured many of the fisheries administration officers, caused losses for Vietnamese law enforcement authorities at sea, and even sank a Vietnamese fishing boat.

"Vietnam has again affirmed that the area where Haiyang Shiyou-981 has operated since early May belongs to Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf. Operations of the rig and escort ships of China over the past two months in the area are totally illegal, infringing regulations of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS," according to Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Hai Binh. It has been learnt that Vietnam’s law enforcement authorities are keeping a close eye on the movement of the rig and escort vessels.

According to Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung Hanoi always attaches special importance to the friendship and fine cooperation with China on the basis of equality, mutual respect and benefit and joint development. He has said that the country is willing to, together with China and parties involved, hold peaceful negotiations and settle disputes at sea in accordance with international law.

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Meanwhile, a US Senate resolution has condemned Chinese attempts to revise the status quo in the Asia-Pacific. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), a co-sponsor of the resolution, was unequivocal about what he saw as the United States’ enduring interest in the status quo in the Asia-Pacific: "The United States is an Asia- Pacific nation and we have an abiding national security interest in the maintenance of regional stability, as recent events have demonstrated."