China, Vietnam leaders agree to joint exploration of disputed seasMonday July 4, 8:00 PM

(Kyodo) _ Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Khai agreed in talks Monday that China, Vietnam and the Philippines should jointly explore and develop disputed areas of the South China Sea that are potentially rich in energy resources, official media reported.
During a meeting with Khai in Kunming, Yunnan Province, on the sidelines of a meeting on economic cooperation in the Greater Mekong Subregion, Wen said he hopes oil companies from the three countries will start joint prospecting in the South China Sea as soon as possible, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Khai was quoted as saying in response that Vietnam would work together with China and the Philippines to promote the development of the three-nation joint exploration.

China and Vietnam have repeatedly sparred over their overlapping claims to the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, which are also claimed in whole or in part by the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

China, for instance, has protested over Vietnam's allowing tours to the Spratlys and inviting international oil companies to bid for tenders for developing oil and gas resources in parts of the South China Sea that are claimed also by China.

In addition to the Spratlys, Vietnam has also repeatedly asserted its sovereignty over another area of the South China Sea, the Paracel Islands, which China seized control of in 1974. In March 1988, Vietnamese and Chinese naval forces clashed over those islands, resulting in the sinking of two Vietnamese ships and the loss of more than 70 lives.

In 2002, most of the claimants signed a document undertaking to exercise self-restraint in their activities in the South China Sea and vowing to resolve their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force.

The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea was signed by China and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including Vietnam and the Philippines.

The declaration also says that pending a comprehensive and durable settlement of the disputes, the parties may explore or undertake various cooperative activities, such as marine scientific research.

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/050704/kyodo/d8b4i9jg0.html

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China and Vietnam agree on joint oil prospecting in disputed seas Monday July 4, 6:33 PM

China said it agreed with Vietnam on Monday to jointly explore for oil in disputed areas in the South China Sea, and to invite the Philippines to participate, China's state media reported.

China, Vietnam, the Philippines and several other nations have competing claims to parts of the South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands, an area believed to be rich in oil and mineral deposits.

China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations adopted a nonbinding declaration two years ago that forbids construction of new buildings on uninhabited islands in the Spratlys to prevent the territorial disputes from escalating.

On the sidelines of a regional summit in the southern Chinese city of Kunming, Premier Wen Jiabao told his Vietnamese counterpart, Phan Van Khai, on Monday that he hoped oil companies from the three countries would start joint prospecting soon, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Khai said his country would work with China and the Philippines to promote the three-way joint development, Xinhua said.

The two leaders said they agreed on the cooperation, but there was no mention of any formal agreement being signed.

No further details of the agreement were given.

The Philippines was not represented at the summit of the Greater Mekong Subregion, which groups China, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.

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