jul 12, 2019 - CHINA AND VIETNAM IN STAND-OFF OVER CHINESE SURVEY SHIP MISSION TO DISPUTED REEF IN SOUTH CHINA SEA

Description:

Chinese and Vietnamese coastguard vessels have been involved in a week-long confrontation in the South China Sea. Six coastguards vessels – two Chinese and four Vietnamese – have been in a standoﬀ around Vanguard Bank in the Spratly Islands since last Wednesday, when Chinese survey ship Haiyang Dizhi 8 entered waters near the Vietnamesecontrolled reef to conduct a seismic survey on July 3rd. It was escorted by the 12,000-tonne armed coastguard vessel 3901, and the 2,200-tonne coastguard ship 37111. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang did not conﬁrm the stand-oﬀ, but said China was determined to protect its interests in the South China Sea. Collin Koh, a research fellow at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said China and Vietnam were likely to refrain from 'actions that may escalate the situation into a clash', especially for China, as an escalated situation may impact China's relations with ASEAN, especially since Hanoi will take on the chairmanship of ASEAN later this year.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3018332/beijingand-hanoi-stand-over-chinese-survey-ship-mission