Vietnam ordered to halt oil search

Published on 07/12/2012 00:00

China has told Vietnam to stop unilateral oil exploration in disputed areas of the South China Sea and not to harass its fishing boats, raising tensions in an ongoing territorial dispute.

Vietnam had already expelled Chinese fishing vessels from waters near China’s southern Hainan province, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

Vietnam said a cable one of its survey ship was pulling was cut by two Chinese fishing boats.