BY SUCCESS KANAYO UCHIME
The Chinese authorities Thursday sent a warning signal over the Philippines plans to commence oil exploration in the South China Sea. And this is coming barely few days after Philippines signified its intention of possible drilling there.
This revelation is contained in a report by the Agence France-Presse (AFP) adding that the Philippines Department of Energy Manila said that the United Kingdom (UK) based Forum Energy had completed a seismic survey for the Reed Bank, near the disputed Spratly Islands.
The AFP report noted that the Spratlys are called the Nansha Islands in Chinese and claimed by Beijing.
(Hu Jintao, Chinese President)
Speaking on this development, the Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang YuJiang Yu said China holds indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and the adjacent sea waters.
She noted that any activities by countries or companies to explore for oil or gas in the sea waters in China's jurisdiction without the permission of the Chinese government will constitute a violation of China's sovereignty and will be illegal and invalid.
Jiang did not make any direct reference to the Philippines or Forum Energy, nor did she say the survey area was actually in waters under Chinese jurisdiction.
Chinese embassy officials in the Philippines earlier requested a copy of the Forum Energy announcement, but did not return subsequent calls by AFP.
Officials of Forum Energy on Wednesday said it used the survey data to evaluate the commercial potential of the block and to "help identify the best location for possible appraisal wells to be drilled."
It noted that the Reed Bank lies about 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of the reputedly oil-rich Spratlys, which are claimed in whole or in part by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines and China.
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The Chinese authorities Thursday sent a warning signal over the Philippines plans to commence oil exploration in the South China Sea. And this is coming barely few days after Philippines signified its intention of possible drilling there.
This revelation is contained in a report by the Agence France-Presse (AFP) adding that the Philippines Department of Energy Manila said that the United Kingdom (UK) based Forum Energy had completed a seismic survey for the Reed Bank, near the disputed Spratly Islands.
The AFP report noted that the Spratlys are called the Nansha Islands in Chinese and claimed by Beijing.
(Hu Jintao, Chinese President)
Speaking on this development, the Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang YuJiang Yu said China holds indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and the adjacent sea waters.
She noted that any activities by countries or companies to explore for oil or gas in the sea waters in China's jurisdiction without the permission of the Chinese government will constitute a violation of China's sovereignty and will be illegal and invalid.
Jiang did not make any direct reference to the Philippines or Forum Energy, nor did she say the survey area was actually in waters under Chinese jurisdiction.
Chinese embassy officials in the Philippines earlier requested a copy of the Forum Energy announcement, but did not return subsequent calls by AFP.
Officials of Forum Energy on Wednesday said it used the survey data to evaluate the commercial potential of the block and to "help identify the best location for possible appraisal wells to be drilled."
It noted that the Reed Bank lies about 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of the reputedly oil-rich Spratlys, which are claimed in whole or in part by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines and China.
For more article from this writer, click here: http://www.allvoices.com/users/success4u
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