China, Vietnam spar over South China Sea

A dispute between China and Vietnam over oil and gas drilling in the South China Sea escalated over the weekend, as Vietnam’s biggest oil and gas company complained that China had sabotaged its exploration vessels, the Financial Times reported. An executive at the state-owned PetroVietnam, Do Van Hau, accused the Chinese of deliberately cutting an exploration cable that had been submerged to 30 meters. China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan all make competing claims for part or all of the South China Sea, which is rich in fish, oil and gas and contains key trade routes. The latest clashes come as the US and Chinese defense ministers prepare to meet next weekend during Singapore’s annual defense forum, the Shangri-La Dialogue.