Tensions in the South China Sea between China and Vietnam cast their shadow on the eve of the visit to India by Chinese President Xi Jinping, after New Delhi and Vietnam declared their intent to jointly scout for oil in waters claimed by Beijing as its own.
To a question on President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Vietnam, during which development of off-shore energy ties with Hanoi was one of the focal areas, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Beijing would not support such a move.
China and Vietnam have a major dispute over Nansha islands, called Paracel islands by Hanoi.
