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"Two-Faced" Japan Accuses China Of Stealing Gas With Sea Rigs
Over the course of the last several months, China has found itself at the center of a rather spirited international "debate" over the country’s land reclamation efforts in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
To recap, Beijing has created more than 1,500 acres of sovereign territory in the Spratly archipelago by using dredgers to construct man-made islands atop reefs. Although China isn’t the first country to embark on reclamation efforts in the region, its projects have been described by the US and its allies as far more ambitious than those of its neighbors.
The situation escalated rapidly when the Chinese Navy threatened a US spy plane with a CNN crew aboard. Shortly thereafter, the US claimed to have spotted artillery on one of the islands and the entire situation culminated in a hilarious propaganda campaign by the Chinese apparently designed to show that life on its new islands was really all about girls, gardening, pigs, and puppies.
Now, China finds itself at the center of yet another maritime dispute, this time over the construction of oil and gas platforms in the East China Sea. Reuters has more:
China reserves the right to a "necessary reaction" after Japan issued a defense review that called on Beijing to stop building oil and gas exploration platforms close to disputed waters in the East China Sea, the Defense Ministry has said.
In the paper issued on Tuesday, Tokyo expressed concern that Chinese drills could tap reservoirs that extend into Japan's waters.
"This kind of action completely lays bare the two-faced nature of Japan's foreign policy and has a detrimental impact on peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region," China's Defense Ministry said in a statement issued late on Tuesday.
China would further evaluate Japan's defense review, or white paper, when the full text is issued and would then make a "necessary reaction depending on the situation", it said.
In an escalation of the spat, Japan released aerial photos of China's construction activities in the area, accusing Beijing of unilateral development and a halfhearted attitude toward a 2008 agreement to jointly develop resources there.
"China's development activities in the East China Sea have shown no signs of ceasing. Given rising concerns within and outside of Japan over China's various attempts to change the status quo, we have decided to release what can be released in an appropriate manner," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference.
Apparently "what can be released" are the following images:
And here is a map showing where the rigs are located in relation to a demarcation line that separates the two countries' exclusive economic zones.
So what's the problem, you ask? It seems as though all of the structures are on China's side of the line. Here's Bloomberg with more:
Japan’s foreign ministry unveiled a map and photographs of what it said were 16 Chinese marine platforms close to Japan’s side of the disputed East China Sea.
The platforms are on the Chinese side of a geographical median line that Japan contends should mark the border between their exclusive economic zones. Japan has long expressed concern that such developments could siphon gas out of undersea structures that extend to its own side.
So essentially, Japan believes that China may be attempting to steal from Japan by building rigs right next to the line and sucking undersea gas back to the Chinese side. Or, in other words:
As for Beijing's take on the matter, the foreign ministry says its exploration activities are "justified, reasonable and legitimate."
Whatever the case may be, the dispute won't do anything to help Sino-Japanese relations and although Suga claims the issue won't derail diplomatic progress, one has to imagine that Beijing has had just about enough of being told what it can and can't do in what it considers to be territorial waters.
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Full statement from Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Google translated):
In recent years, China has to revitalize the resource development in the East China Sea, as a government, the Chinese side of the geographic middle line during the day, it has been confirmed a total of 16 groups structures so far. 2 East China Sea exclusive economic zone and continental shelf boundary is is not yet defined, Japan is in a position of that should be carried out the demarcation that is based on the median line during the day. In this way, in a situation that is not yet defined boundaries, although the middle and at the Chinese side of the median line the day, it is extremely regrettable that the Chinese side has promoted the unilateral development activities. The government, for the Chinese side, it is possible to stop the unilateral development activities, it was consistent for the cooperation between Japan and China on the resource development of the East China Sea "in June 2008 agreement," As to respond to early resumption of negotiations on the implementation of, it is where you are asking once again strongly.
Japan's legal position on resource development in (Reference) East China Sea both in one day, based on the relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, has the title of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf from the territorial sea baseline to 200 sea miles . Since the distance between each of the territorial sea baseline during the day when you are face to face across the East China Sea is less than 400 sea miles, for the part of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf up to 200 nautical miles both overlap, bounded by day intermediate agreement there is a need to define a. In light of the relevant provisions and international precedents UNCLOS, in order to define the boundary in such waters may define the boundaries based on the intermediate line is a the equitable solution. (Note: one sea mile = 1.852 km, 200 sea miles = 370.4 km) for two (1) this, the Chinese side, the demarcation in the East China Sea, a natural extension of the continental shelf, the East China Sea of characteristics such as mainland and the island of contrasts Based in and are going to should be carried out, after the demarcation is not recognized by the intermediate line, without the Chinese side shows the assumed specific boundary line, claim that the are naturally extended to the Okinawa Trough for the continental shelf doing. (2) On the other hand, it is a natural extension theory, in the 1960s, such as that used in the case law on the demarcation of the adjacent country continental shelf, is a concept that has been taken in the past of international law. Based on the relevant provisions and the subsequent international precedents of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which was adopted in 1982, upon the distance between the opposing countries to define the boundaries in waters of less than 400 nautical miles, the room found a natural extension theory rather, also, there is no legal meaning in the seabed terrain, such as the Okinawa trough (groove of the seabed). Therefore, the idea that can claim a continental shelf up to the Okinawa Trough, lacks evidence In light of the current international law. 3 standing on such premise to this, our country is, the border has been taken the position of the course and that our country has the ability to exercise sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the Japanese side of the body of water from at least the middle line in the waters of non-defined . This thing is totally without that abandoned the title of intermediate line beyond, last until the boundary is defined is for the time being that the exercise of the sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the waters to the middle line. Therefore, day middle of demarcation has not been made ??in the East China Sea, and, in a situation where the Chinese side does not recognize any claims relating to the middle line of our country, and exclusive economic zone of our country up to 200 sea miles from Japan's territorial waters baseline no different in fact that has the title of continental shelf.
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fuku daisies, 'nuf said
I DRINK YOUR SAKE !!!!
... They are stealing our gas!
And with that, Japan starts COLON-izing itself. ;-)
Looney
P.S. John Kerry has expressed a concern and threatened China with rounding-up all American-Japanese people into internment camps AGAIN! ;-)
What's the problem boys, there's plenty to go around.
+1!, but…
Just because there are many beautiful girls (real, inflatable, or imaginary) to go around doesn’t mean that someone (wink-wink) is gettin’ laid tonight. ;-)
Looney
Wait till China accuse Japan of blocking their sea and asks Japan to move their islands.
Japan is going to be in for a world of hurt, this ain't WW2 anymore. The China of old is back, unlike that pathetic one during the rape of Nanking.
They're takin' our jarrrrrrrrrbs!!!!
+ 1 for the lol!
The Chinese would build those rigs in Tokyo Bay if they thought they could get away with it. Japan better tool up fast, just in case China doesn't totally implode and fly apart when its bubble economy goes mams up.
These Jap fucks need to punished for Fukushima!
Japan, home of the worlds largest thyroid glands.
Kuwait did it better.
But no where near as successfully as Qatar.
Ku wait a minute Qa tar you talking about?
I don't get it.
Pretty funny an ignorant american mother fucker K-12 making fun of Japan.
Yaaaaa that would be the New World Order, not the Japs. That's a forehead slope (degenerate inbred fucks) not an eye slope (natural genetic path) for those paying attention.
Yeah, them and their US designed (General Electric) nuclear reactors. Karma can be a biatch!
What exactly have GE to do with it? They did not fail out of blue, it was tsunami that destroyed them and stupid japs that did not react on warning promptly.
"These Jap fucks need to punished for Fukushima!"
These Yank fucks should be punished for all the mess they stir up in the world and for consuming 25% of the world ressources...fat fucking cunts.
Two Faced? I think he was a creature on Johnny Socko.
I had to upvote you for even knowing Johnny Socko (and his flying robot)
Quick someone tell japan to print more money and just buy the energy back from china. That'll teach them a lesson. ;)
Burns Slant Drilling Co
Exactly. Although mention of the words slant or slanty many not be PC in an Asian context.
Eye see what you did there.
No Spraatfrom, no gassie!
The Japanese have a lot of fucking nerve considering they poisoned the Pacific Ocean.
Yeah, with their General Electric designed nuclear reactors.
Heard you the first time Mike - that's what happens when you deal with a company run by a man named "I melt".
Caveat freakin' emptor...
lol! damn you guys are on a roll tonight!
Can't blame GE dipshit. Tepco didn't follow the appropriate safty upgrades and dismissed the extensive study done recommending a tsunami wall upgrade, plus they had never actually drilled for an emergency situation. But the biggest dumbass mistake of all, against GE's recommendations, not locating the generators higher up the hill. To costly, so in the basment they went.
GE did that mother fucker and they poisioned the US pacific coast, Japan for the most part will be fine.
Maybe Japan should sink a well hole right on the demarcation line, and pump sea water into it just to fuck with their neighbors!
Also, put on the platform dogs that bark all night long to keep the Chinese from getting any sleep.
Also throw eggs at the chinese platforms, they are really hard to clean up and smell awful!
No need to thank me, you are welcome, Mr. Abe.
It looks like Japan doesn't want to go to all that nasty hard work of drilling wells and such. Much easier to China do that, then say China stole their gas or oil, and bribe some international kangaroo court to get a judgement.
"Shortly thereafter, the US claimed to havespotted artillery on one of the islands and the entire situation culminated in a hilarious propaganda campaign by the Chinese apparently designed to show that life on its new islands was really all about girls, gardening, pigs, and puppies. "
-Here in the U.S., the story about oil is made into a "national security concern". On the bright side, China's government won't be sued for copyright infringements.
I just absolutely adore their tactical blue camoflauge battle uniform to disguise them as the great blue sea.
I think those damned canadians are stealing gas from the US too
Something about the keystone pipeline
The geopolitical scene has been too quiet of late - hand me that bottle of charcoal lighter, will ya please...?
In other Japanese news:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDZhpG3zjII
Obviously this has everything to do with Japan just recently changing their military policy/laws where they can now defend themselves in international territory. Prior they were restricted to defending their homeland only.
Does not matter, as Japan will be a de facto Chinese territory in a few years.
Liberty is a demand. Tyranny is submission..
Hilarious.
One day the Anunnaki are going to return and squash us all like ants, for stealing all their resources.
Sounds exactly what Qatar have been doing to Iran for years, except they went as far as horizontal drilling into Iranian fields.
I really get tired of hearing those children argue. Almost as bad as NK.
You didn't build that! Yes the fuck we did, now go eat your sushi.
Fat American potato chip eating ignorant shits making fun of healthy fish. Very funny , you have out done yourself.
Holy run-on sentences!!!
This was the same situation that caused Iraq to invade Kuwait.
Kuwait was doing slant drilling getting oil from Iraq.
Japan will not do an "Iraq."
Only because the US under Fancy fag Obama is so weak the US wants no part in it.
History does indeed seem to repeat itself. In 1990, Saddam Hussein accused Kuwait (probably correctly) of stealing oil by “slant drilling” from Iraq’s Rumaylah oil field on the Iraq-Kuwait border, ultimately leading to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. This was followed by the Congressional testimony of a Kuwaiti “young lady” well coached by the Wash PR firm Hill and Knowlton, who claimed she had witnessed Iraqi soldiers taking babies out of incubators in a Kuwaiti hospital and left the babies to die. As usual, there was a problem with the story. Not only was it false, but the “young lady” turned out to be Nayirah al-?aba?, daughter of Saud Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti ambassador to US.
(See: www.historycommons.org/context.jsp?item=a072590landomanipulate)
This led to Bush II’s invasion of Iraq (Daddy Bush’s “unfinished business”) and a military and economic disaster for US taxpayers. At the time, Don Rumsfeld put the price tag on the Iraqi enterprise at $70 billion, paid for with Iraqi oil revenue. The end result, an Iraqi occupation that has cost US taxpayers $ 2-3 Trillion, long term costs at least double this. Jeb Bush, candidate for US president, recently stated he would have done the same thing. While I am not an historian, one could argue that the level of economic and military incompetence of this undertaking is unparalleled in human history.
Horizonal drilling Bitchez!
The Chinese chose those drill sites based on how close they are to Japan, not because that is where gas is ? Mr. Abe, these are Chinese E & P companies, not Japanese ones. Eat less tuna, the mercury is showing its effect on your brain.
Although I really like the Japanese and their culture, I fail to see why they should have more rights then any other country in the area.
China is keeping on their side of the middle line and they have every right to develop their part. Just as Japan does.
Extending to the Japan part? Well, that goes both ways.... in all parts of the world.
Stop complaining, start developing.
Actually China never agree with Japan on the "demarcation line". That line is claimed by Japan alone and that's all. China protested Japan's claim on the resource on the 'Japan side'. However, China built all the structure on the other side.
Well, Japan gov always wanted to build something but they never did, for about 10 years when China started building the first structure.
Things like this is why Chinese don't like Japan goverment. We hold a grouge for what happened in WWII (they never even tried to discuss on giving up that shrine in Tokyo), and Japan goverment keeps giving us reason to stop doing it.
Actually China never agree with Japan on the "demarcation line". That line is claimed by Japan alone and that's all. China protested Japan's claim on the resource on the 'Japan side'. However, China built all the structure on the other side.
Well, Japan gov always wanted to build something but they never did, for about 10 years when China started building the first structure.
Things like this is why Chinese don't like Japan goverment. We hold a grouge for what happened in WWII (they never even tried to discuss on giving up that shrine in Tokyo), and Japan goverment keeps giving us reason to stop doing it.
Poor Japanese, always an innocent victim of an outside aggression. It was not them, who conducted an insane rampage, that killed 5 M civilians in the Far East (not to mention Nanking Sunday school pick nick bayonet feast). The bomb that brought to the end this madness became translated in the folklore as Godzilla, who still fights for the superior race´s justified cause anywhere against those sub humans.
A Nippon-Chink reunion is only a moment away.
I call BS on this ...
most of the pictures show large production facilities - these have design and construction lead times in the order of years. The largest ones shown will have been on location in the construction phase for probably a couple of years.
The bright yellow, smaller installations look like they could be new (although of course we have no idea of the date of the photo)
All that said - oil/gas fields straddling international boundaries are nothing new, nor is the depletion of reserves by the "other" side, prior to proper unitisation agreements.
It is quite evident that if this ever went to PCA/ICJ arbitration China would lose. Here are some interesting judgments and opinions from the ICJ that are relevant in this dispute: https://www.academia.edu/10574593/Falklands_Islands_Territorial_Waters