|
Economic route key to Sino-Vietnamese peace |
|
|
|
South China Morning Post
28 October 2008
China and Vietnam have had a constructive approach towards their territorial
disputes since restoring relations in 1991. Regular high-level talks and
agreements have gone a long way to calming rifts. For all the effort, though,
bouts of tension, particularly over the South China Sea, have ensured that the
regional instability that was at its height with a brief land war 29 years ago
has remained. Deals struck at the weekend to make a concerted push towards
resolution through economic co-operation are therefore to be applauded.
Their pledge to turn border areas into economic zones, jointly explore
reputedly oil-rich seabeds and work together on issues including oceanic
research and environmental protection is a step in the right direction. The pact
signed in Beijing during
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's visit was short on specifics. It did not tackle
the contentious issues of the Spratly Islands, also claimed by Taiwan, Brunei,
Malaysia and the Philippines, and the Paracel Islands, occupied by China since
1974. Such moves are essential in building confidence between countries with the
potential to be antagonists.
The lure of oil and gas to help fuel the Chinese and Vietnamese economies has
time and again created suspicion and animosity. China three months ago told
Exxon Mobil to pull out of an oil exploration deal with Vietnam that it
contended was a breach of sovereignty; a brief naval battle near one of the
Spratly reefs in 1988 left 70 Vietnamese dead and brought the sides close to
full-scale conflict. Dialogue and co-operation will foster the understanding
necessary to maintain stability.
Fleshing out the agreements in a timely manner is the next move. Demarcation
of the land border, a project started in 2002, should be completed before the
year is out. Extending the work to offshore waters will reduce the potential for
conflict. But it is through deeper economic co-operation that the best chance
for a lasting peace lies.
Ensuring that plans for industrial zones go ahead is essential. Pushing on
with joint infrastructure work and petroleum exploration will build trust. Only
through understanding can the seemingly intractable sovereignty issues be
resolutely tackled.
|
LIBRARY