Hanoi (AFP)
A Chinese vessel has re-entered Viet Nam's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea at the risk of relaunching the diplomatic confrontation between Beijing and Hanoi over these resource-rich waters claimed by both countries and other states. from Southeast Asia.
Haiyang 8, a prospecting vessel belonging to the Chinese Geological Survey, "again entered the Vietnamese Special Economic Zone on August 13", accompanied by at least two other Chinese Coast Guard boats, according to the US C4ADS Research Center .
Several Vietnamese ships closely followed the Chinese fleet.
Haiyang 8 started a prospecting mission around the Spratley Islands on 3 July, angering Hanoi, the United States and the European Union, who see it as an aggression.
On August 7, after repeated requests from Hanoi, Chinese ships had left the area.
Solicited to comment on the return of the boats in the EEZ, the Vietnamese authorities were not available immediately.
China, arguing for an older presence, disputes with several riparian countries (Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei) of the islands of this vast maritime zone, and claims the majority of the South China Sea, key road of the maritime trade.
Beijing is accused of militarizing it by deploying warships and setting up outposts.
Traveling in early August in Thailand, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the Southeast Asian countries to roll back this "coercion" Chinese. Earlier, the United States had called on Beijing to end its "harassment" in this region.
The head of European diplomacy Federica Mogherini has criticized the Chinese "militarization" of this seaway.
Tensions between Beijing and Hanoi on the EEZ are not recent.
In 2014, Beijing set up an oil rig in Hanoi's claimed maritime waters, provoking deadly anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam. The platform was removed a few months later.
© 2019 AFP