- Chinese patrolling close to a Malaysian offshore gas project.
- Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have some overlapping claims.
- Anwar did not specify which dispute or which area of the South China Sea.
China’s territory
Days after a think tank reported Chinese patrolling near a Malaysian offshore gas project, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated he was ready to speak with China about a maritime conflict.
The whole South China Sea, over which about $3 trillion in yearly ship-borne trade passes, is claimed by China as its territory. Several of the claims made by Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam overlap.
While Malaysia has energy exploration operations in the area, the subject was brought up between Anwar and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week while Anwar was in China, according to Anwar, who spoke on Monday at the prime minister’s department.
Maritime conflict
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he was prepared to negotiate with China about a maritime conflict days after a think group claimed that Chinese patrols were stationed close to a Malaysian offshore gas project.
China essentially claims the entirety of the South China Sea as its territory, over which nearly $3 trillion in ship-borne trade flows each year. The claims of Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam overlap in several areas.
Although Malaysia has energy exploration activities in the region, Anwar said in a Monday speech at the prime minister’s department that Anwar and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the matter last week while Anwar was in China.
Chinese ships
Malaysia’s EEZ includes oil and gas reserves that are operated by the state-owned Petronas oil corporation, which has recently had many run-ins with Chinese ships.
A month-long confrontation between a Chinese survey ship and an oil exploration vessel hired by Petronas in 2020—which China said was engaged in routine operations—is one example.
A Chinese coast guard vessel has been operating close to Petronas’ Kasawari gas development off the coast of Sarawak state in Malaysia for the past month, according to a report published last week by the U.S. think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI). The vessel has come as close as 1.5 miles to the project. According to AMTI, a Malaysian navy ship was also nearby at the time.
Unaware of the situation
The largest coast Guard vessel in the world, CCG 5901, was last in operation in the Chim Sao oil and gas field in Vietnam and the Tuna Bloc gas field in Indonesia, according to AMTI.
The estimated 3 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves in the Kasawari field are anticipated to begin production this year.
Petronas declined to comment, while the Malaysian navy took some time to react to a request for comment.
On Monday, Mao Ning, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, claimed that although they were unaware of the exact situation, the coast guard was acting in accordance with Chinese law and an honourable manner.
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Source: Reuters
