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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Chicoms begin drilling at undersea gas field near Japanese territory |
| 2005-09-08 |
| From East Asia Intel, subscription req'd. Tokyo has authorized Japanese companies to begin exploring undersea natural gas in waters claimed by both Japan and China, a move likely to increase tensions in Northeast Asia. However, reports last week from Tokyo said China has already begun drilling and is "highly likely" to begin production of gas at the Chunxiao field near the median line in the East China Sea. China is developing three fields near the median line that Tokyo says will extend into Japanese territory. "Don't like it, sue us, sez the Chicoms. China began drilling work on the Chunxiao field in early August, according to Japanese officials quoted in the Sankei Shimbun. "If the [gas field development] is carried out at this pace, China may start full production in October, or in November at the latest," said a senior Foreign Ministry official. To counter the Chinese moves, Japan's government granted Teikoku Oil Co. exploration rights to test drill at three sites in the Japanese territory near the median line. The company has not yet begun drilling. If you want to be a player, better drill it. |
| Posted by:Alaska Paul |
| #5 Basically, the Chinese are interested in the disputed area because of natural resources. There are bragging rights involved, but these are nowhere near as significant as the gas and oil at stake. If they can get the resources without getting into an expensive skirmish with Japan that will get the hackles of everyone in East Asia up about Chinese territorial ambitions, they'll do so. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2005-09-08 19:01 |
| #4 Raj: I can see a war being started over this real quick. I think the odds are low, because the cost of replacing destroyed military hardware may surpass the benefits from extracting natural gas. I suspect each country will try to empty out that natural gas field from its side of the water as fast as it can. Iraq went to war with Kuwait because of competitive oil extraction over the same oil field on different sides of the border. But Japan's no Kuwait - the Japanese Navy would beat the crap out of the Chinese Navy, and that's without Uncle Sam jumping in. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2005-09-08 18:58 |
| #3 1 of dale brown's "Old Dog" books covered such a scienerio. |
| Posted by: raptor 2005-09-08 15:25 |
| #2 Let's ask April Gillespie. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2005-09-08 11:18 |
| #1 I can see a war being started over this real quick. |
| Posted by: Raj 2005-09-08 11:06 |