Beijing urges halt to energy exploration in South China Sea

‘Vietnam has reportedly stopped oil drilling in the disputed part of the South China Sea after China’s Foreign Ministry urged for exploration to be halted.
The area being developed by Spanish oil firm Repsol in cooperation with Vietnam is inside a large area of ocean claimed by China, which it says overlaps its oil concessions.
The exploration in Block 136/3 started mid-June licensed to Vietnam’s state oil firm, Spain’s Repsol and Mubadala Development of the United Arab Emirates.
Repsol has been ordered to leave the area, according to a BBC source, just days after the company had confirmed the existence of a major gas field.
Beijing has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly Islands as well as jurisdiction over the relevant waters and seabed, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang.’
Read more: Beijing urges halt to energy exploration in South China Sea