THE DRILLING DRAGON

China Sends Four Oil Rigs To South China Sea Amid Regional Tensions American Admiralty Books Safety & Privacy Policies (Attention EU Visitors , possible "cookie" encounter ahead) 

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/06/20/uk-china-southchinasea-rigs-idUKKBN0EV2KG20140620

(Reuters) - "China has sent four more oil rigs into the South China Sea in a sign that Beijing is stepping up its exploration for oil and gas in the tense region, less than two months after it positioned a giant drilling platform in waters claimed by Vietnam".  Reuters Story

 As usual; with the Dragon the timing couldn't have been worse with so many Asian nations already nervous over the Dragon's wanton disregard for their maritime soverignity and exclusive economic zones. The Philippines served pleadings in an international tribunal which China refused to recognize but the tribunal asserted jurisdiction and gave China 30 days to respond. That was several weeks ago so far no response from China. If China then is served a default judgement the expectation, given their behavior so far, is that the Dragon will continue its lawless ways. Doesn't the Chinese leadership read their own great theorist on war Sun Tzu? They would realize that they could get what they actually need with soft power but they continue to push towards war.

 According to China's Maritime Safety Administration's web site the mobile drilling units NANHAI NO.2 and NANHAI No.5 have been deployed between China's southern Guangdong province and the Pratas Islands occupied by Taiwan. Nanhai No. 4 previously reported in the area has been towed Chinese territorial waters. The last report by the same source gave the position of the NANHAI No.9 as just outside Vietnam's exclusive economic zone. China and Vietnam share what should be a negotiated boundary between exclusive economic zones near the North Coast oif Vietnam, in the South parts of Vietnam's exclusive economic zone abut international waters, which t he Dragon also claims. Of course the hot button issue that should point all parties towards cooperative regional development is the fact that oil bearing formations pay no attention to boundary lines drawn across some chart of the surface waters. A nation looking across the waters at drilling units in their neighbors's exclusive economic zone may well be looking at a unit pumping oil out of a formation it has a part ownership in. That China hasn't actually crossed into Vietnam's exclusive economic zone might be taken as a sign of restraint. But of they are operating close to the line its still a source of strain unless and until cooperative mineral licensing is finally achieved. So far the Dragon's neighbors have not wanted to enter into anything like that with the Dragon because the Dragon makes it clear it expects it all right up to main island beach lines in the Philippines. 

 The Dragon has been making it clear through the abusive use of its over sized Coast Guard and national drilling industry that it does not have the best interest of the region at heart. The region would love to have China leading the region if only the dragon wouldn't trample their flower bed, eat their food, or kill their young. Every passing week Chinese behavior tells the world that they name streets after nations like China.....:ONE WAY...

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