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China to Begin Talks With Vietnam Over Territorial Dispute in South China Sea China Sends Top Diplomat To Begin Talks With Vietnam
(about 9 hours later)
HANOI — A senior Chinese official will hold talks in Hanoi on Wednesday with Vietnam about the contentious deep-sea oil rig stationed by China in disputed waters, the two countries announced Tuesday. HANOI, Vietnam — A senior Chinese official will hold talks here on Wednesday with Vietnam about the contentious deep-sea oil rig stationed by China in disputed waters, the two countries announced Tuesday.
The official, Yang Jiechi, will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh in the first high-level discussions between the two countries since early May, when sea vessels from the two sides rammed each other near the installation. The official, Yang Jiechi, will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh of Vietnam in the first high-level discussions between the two countries since early May, when sea vessels from the two sides rammed each other near the installation.
Mr. Yang, a state councilor with a foreign policy portfolio, is known as a blunt promoter of China’s expansion in the South China Sea, and he is unlikely to offer concessions or a breakthrough in the tense situation, diplomats here, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue, said. Mr. Yang, a state councilor with a foreign policy portfolio, is known as a blunt promoter of China’s expansion in the South China Sea, and he is unlikely to offer concessions or a breakthrough in the tense situation, said diplomats here, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Most likely, they said, Mr. Yang would reiterate China’s opposition to Vietnamese efforts to win international support for its position that China has violated Vietnam’s sovereignty by parking the rig 120 miles off Vietnam’s coast, and close to the Paracel Islands that both countries claim.Most likely, they said, Mr. Yang would reiterate China’s opposition to Vietnamese efforts to win international support for its position that China has violated Vietnam’s sovereignty by parking the rig 120 miles off Vietnam’s coast, and close to the Paracel Islands that both countries claim.
Mr. Yang will stress that Vietnam should not look to the United States for moral or material support, the diplomats said. Mr. Yang will emphasize that Vietnam should not look to the United States for moral or material support, the diplomats said.
The Obama administration condemned the deployment of the oil rig as a “provocative” action but has shown no inclination to get involved in the dispute beyond expressing displeasure at China’s unilateral move.The Obama administration condemned the deployment of the oil rig as a “provocative” action but has shown no inclination to get involved in the dispute beyond expressing displeasure at China’s unilateral move.
The question of how far Vietnam should go in seeking support from the international community has bedeviled the Communist Party leadership here, where some of the 16 members of the Politburo are believed to lean toward the United States, while others remain more loyal to China and its Communist Party.The question of how far Vietnam should go in seeking support from the international community has bedeviled the Communist Party leadership here, where some of the 16 members of the Politburo are believed to lean toward the United States, while others remain more loyal to China and its Communist Party.
The daily skirmishes between coast guard boats from China and Vietnam around the rig have alarmed American officials who fear that an incident could lead to conflict. The skirmishes between coast guard boats from China and Vietnam around the rig have alarmed American officials who fear that an episode could lead to conflict.
But in the last several weeks, the situation appeared to have eased into “dangerous stability,” said an American administration official familiar with the flotillas of Vietnam and China.But in the last several weeks, the situation appeared to have eased into “dangerous stability,” said an American administration official familiar with the flotillas of Vietnam and China.
China has several dozen coast guard vessels around the rig for what China calls protection. Farther out to sea, five Chinese warships are positioned to oversee the operation, American officials said.
Vietnam has fewer and smaller coast guard vessels, which try to penetrate the perimeter of the rig, and Vietnamese warships are farther away, near Vietnam’s coast, the American officials said.
A foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing, Hua Chunying, said Tuesday that Mr. Yang would encourage a “frank and thorough exchange of views on matters of common concern to all.”A foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing, Hua Chunying, said Tuesday that Mr. Yang would encourage a “frank and thorough exchange of views on matters of common concern to all.”
“We hope Vietnam will focus on the broader picture, come together with China and appropriately deal with the current situation,” she said.“We hope Vietnam will focus on the broader picture, come together with China and appropriately deal with the current situation,” she said.
Mr. Yang is expected to meet with Mr. Minh, who is also Vietnam’s foreign minister, but it was not known if he would meet with more senior leaders, officials said. The visit of Mr. Yang, China’s top diplomat, comes after relations between Vietnam and China have been essentially frozen since the arrival of the rig on May 2. Anti-Chinese riots spread through several cities and looting of factories believed to be Chinese owned resulted in the death of at least four Chinese workers. China evacuated several thousand workers after the riots, leaving some companies in Vietnam, which are dependent on China for supplies and skilled labor, short of employees.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung of Vietnam said during a visit to the Philippines that he would consider a legal case against China at the United Nations, in the same way that the Philippines has initiated an arbitration case against China. Beijing roundly criticized Mr. Dung’s suggestion. Mr. Yang is expected to meet with Mr. Minh, who is also Vietnam’s foreign minister, but it was not known if he would meet with more leaders, officials said.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung of Vietnam said that he would consider a legal case against China at the United Nations, in the same way that the Philippines has initiated an arbitration case against China. Beijing roundly criticized Mr. Dung’s suggestion.