China withdraws oil rig from contested Vietnam waters

China has removed a deepwater drilling rig under operation in disputed waters off the coast of Vietnam in the South China Sea, which has been the focus of an escalation in diplomatic tensions in the area.

Xinhua news agency reported that state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) had completed its drilling and exploration in the region, and would now assess the data collected by the rig.

China moved the rig into waters near the Paracel Islands, which Vietnam also claims, in May this year. The US described China’s move as “provocative” and “aggressive”, and criticized the placement of the rig as part of a “broader pattern of Chinese behaviour to advance its claims over disputed territory in a manner that undermines peace and stability in the region”.

According to the BBC, the row over the rig led to clashes between ships from the two nations, as well as major anti-China riots in Vietnam. Government ships clashed using water cannon fire as Vietnam sought to block Chinese drilling operations. Vietnam saw three days of unrest, as workers protesting against China targeted foreign-owned factories in some areas.

The drilling rig will now be relocated to operations in the Hainan Islands, which are also under dispute with Vietnam.

Edited from various sources by Katie Woodward

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