China, Vietnam Discuss Oil Rig Dispute | WPN World People News

Chinese and Vietnamese officials meeting in Hanoi have expressed a willingness to improve ties strained by a dispute over an oil rig Beijing recently placed in contested waters off Vietnam's coast.

The comments on Wednesday came as both sides held their first high-level talks since the May deployment of the state-run oil rig, which led to a maritime standoff and deadly anti-China protests in Vietnam.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh confirmed Wednesday the dispute in the South China Sea, known to Vietnam as the East Sea, will be a focus of his meeting with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi.

"We wish to discuss and resolve the complicated situation in the East Sea and to help develop healthy and stable relations between the two countries for the benefit of both sides and the region," said Minh.

Yang acknowledged that the dispute is damaging relations between the two communist-led countries, which fought a bloody, three-week border battle in 1979.

"China and Vietnam relations are experiencing a difficult period. On this trip, as appointed by our Central Committee, I am to discuss candidly and thoroughly with Mr. Pham Binh Minh the two countries' relations and current issues in the South China Sea," said Yang.

After meeting with Foreign Minister Minh, Yang is scheduled to meet Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, as well as Nguyen Phu Trong, the head of Vietnam's Communist Party.

Duong Danh Dy, Vietnam’s former consul general to Guangzhou, China, told VOA’s Vietnamese Service that Beijing is seeking compromise through Yang’s visit.

“If it sees sense after being strongly opposed by Vietnamese people, and being criticized by the world community, it would be better to withdraw the drilling platform. It is up to them to decide. China has recently moved the rig and it appears that China is prepared for gradual de-escalation,” said Dy.

Vietnam says Chinese ships have sunk one of its ships and damaged 24 others, in addition to injuring 12 members of its fisheries surveillance force. China accuses Vietnamese ships of being the aggressors, saying they have repeatedly rammed Chinese ships since early May.

The U.S. has said it does not take sides in the dispute and wants countries in the region to settle their differences peacefully.

China's territorial claims in the South China Sea overlap with those of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.

Source: Voice of America