China heads deeper offshore

摘要

Indicative of China's appetite for offshore hydrocarbons is an ongoing territorial dispute in the South China Sea. The contested area includes the Paracel Islands, occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam; and the Spratly Islands, disputed by the Philippines, China, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, who each claim either part or all the islands, which are believed to sit on vast mineral resources, including oil.