China warns India against exploring oil in South China Sea ahead of Krishna's visit to Hanoi

Beijing 15 Sep 2011: China has warnedIndian companies from entering into any deal with Vietnamese firms for exploring oil and gas in disputed parts of the South China Sea. The statement might give a new turn to its relationship with India, which has been asking China not to build infrastructure projects in the disputedPakistan Occupied Kashmir.

"We hope foreign countries will not get involved in the dispute," Chinese foreign ministry spokespersonJiang Yusaid ahead of Indian foreign minister SM Krishna's upcoming visit to Hanoi this week.

"For countries outside the region, we hope they will respect and support countries in the region to solve this dispute through bilateral channels," she said while responding to a question concerning ONGC Videsh's plans to explore in two offshore oil blocks thatVietnamclaims to be its own.

China enjoyed "indisputable sovereignty" over theSouth China Seaand its islands, Jiang said.

New Delhi is expected to turn around and askBeijingwhy it was allowing Chinese companies to build hydro-electricity and other infrastructure projects in the disputed PoK, which India claims to be its own, observers said. Politicians in Pakistan and PoK openly discuss Chinese investments in the disputed portion of Kashmir although China has not yet confirmed it.

This is the first time India is getting involved in the sea dispute between China and Vietnam, which has flared up in recent months. New Delhi expected a sharp Chinese reaction to ONGC Videsh's move, and is prepared to handle it, sources said.

India recently said it supported the "freedom of navigation in international waters, including in the South China Sea". The statement came after a Chinese vassel asked INS Airavat to leave "Chinese waters" while it was on a goodwill visit to Vietnam.

"Our consistent position is that we are opposed to any country engaging in oil and gas exploration and development activities in waters under China's jurisdiction," Jiang said.

Vietnam claims it holds rights to the area being explored for oil and gas under theUnited NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea.

Jiang today said the UN convention of 1982 "did not give any country the right to expand their own exclusive economic zone and continental shelf to other countries' territories." The convention, she said, did not negate "a country's right formed in history that has been consistently claimed."

source: TOI