Graphic: TP
Off the gas drilling platform of a Russian company in the South China Sea, the island dispute increases in sharpness
In the South China Sea, the dispute between China and Vietnam intensifies. The Vietnamese authorities granted the Russian energy company Rosneft a permit to explore the Lan Do gas field. This gas field lies within the so-called Nine-Dash Line – that is, within the maritime territory that China claims exclusively for itself. On the map below this area is marked with a red line. At the same time, however, it is also within the zone marked with a blue line, which Vietnam considers to be its maritime zone.
CSIS: "Significant risk" of a "Collision", the "could have led to an escalation"
In June, the Chinese sent their coastal guard to the area. According to the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) shows that the vessel was dangerously close to Vietnamese supply ships. Therefore, the CSIS warns "clear risk" a "Collision", the "could lead to an escalation".
This risk also exists in another part of the Sino-Vietnamese maritime intersection northeast of Vanguard Bank, 400 kilometers off Vietnamese shores. There a Chinese research vessel is searching for ol and gas. In order not to be hindered by two Vietnamese ships (sent for this purpose), it was joined by four Chinese coast guard ships – including the helicopter carrier Haijing 3901, which is rougher than many guided missile destroyers and equipped with several guns.
Territorial claims in the South China Sea. Map: Voice of America.
The fact that there is a Sino-Vietnamese maritime claim intersection is due to the fact that both countries, in addition to their mainland, also claim tiny reefs and atolls (but scattered over a relatively rough expanse of water): the uninhabited Paracel Islands and the Spratly Islands. The latter is disputed by as many as six states: besides China and Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines. The interest in this results, on the one hand, from the role of the islands for the control of navigation and, on the other hand, from oil and gas deposits that are or could be stored under water.
With the exception of Brunei, all these powers have stationed troops on the land elevations and built structures such as runways: the Philippines in the northeastern part on the islands of Thitu, Likas, Parola, Lawak and Kota, Malaysia on Layang-Layang and some reefs in the southeast, and Taiwan on Taiping Dao and Zhongzhou Reef in the north. Vietnam and China maintain several bases across the island area. China has even excavated runways on which an Airbus and a Boeing 737 could successfully land (cf. Conflict in the South China Sea continues to escalate).
Naval battles without cannons, looted factories, and old enemies as new allies
Dispute over drilling between China and Vietnam came to a head as early as 2014 "Sea battles without cannons", in which ships of the two parties to the conflict rammed into each other. The Vietnamese government subsequently authorized demonstrations that resulted in hundreds of looting of Chinese enterprises and as many as 15 arsons in an industrial area in Binh Duong province (cf. Vietnamese attack Chinese factories).
The last war so far with Cannons drove China and Vietnam just 40 years ago. At that time it was about the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge government in Cambodia, which was militarily brought about by Vietnam and allied with China. Reports that 40 years later Beijing again had a foothold in this backwater of Vietnam with a secret treaty on a military use of the port of Ream have long been denied by Phnom Penh (cf. Phnom Penh denies secret naval base contract with Beijing).
It is undisputed that Hanoi is looking for support in the conflict with China from another old wartime adversary: the United States, which, after the national trauma of its only lasting defeat in the 20th century, is now looking to the United States for support. The German government only established diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1995, but in the meantime even allows the export of weapons there (cf. USA allows arms export to Vietnam).