Exxon Reaches Agreement

Jason Flick Thanh Nien News

Exxon Reaches Agreement

DA NANG, VIETNAM – In one of Vietnam’s largest port cities, reports have been made that ExxonMobil has settled on a new agreement with representatives of Vietnam. The agreement will allow Exxon to explore natural gas fields in the Spratlys Islands. According to a representative from ExxonMobil, the company plans to conduct oil and gas exploration activities, particularly in central and southern regions of the country, as well as in Vietnamese territory in the East Sea. Members of ExxonMobil and the Vietnamese community are firm in believing that the deal will be successful for both parties. Details of this contract also identify awards given to Gazprom of Russia and Petronas of Malaysia.

This deal has significant economic implications for a number of countries in Southeast Asia. Domestically speaking, Exxon has provided funding for pediatric emergency care equipment and related medical practitioner training in key coastal cities, including Da Nang. Just to the north, China is experiencing a rapidly growing economy and population. If estimates of growth are indeed correct, China will require significantly more natural resources. A large portion of the Chinese population has called for these resources to be claimed from disputed territories in the Spratlys Islands. Along with the claim to natural resources, the Spratlys also hold access to a key shipping routes and major fishing grounds in the region.

The Spratlys Islands lie in the East Sea, just off of the southern tip of Vietnam. Portions of the island contain military forces from the People’s Republic of China (China), the Republic of China (Taiwan), Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Although the dispute over the Spratlys has been ongoing for a number of years, the largest disputes today have been seen from China against Vietnam. Vietnam has continually disputed China’s historical accounts over its sovereignty in the region. Generally speaking, a large number of China’s claims are not backed up by its own historical records. These disputes have ranged from minor conflicts, such as Vietnamese officials refusing to stamp Chinese passports which included a map which claimed that disputed areas in the East Sea belonged to China, to potential conflicts of international merit, such as standoffs between Chinese and Vietnamese ships.

On this day in Da Nang, a crowd formed to mourn the losses of Vietnamese ship crew members who fell victim to unjust attacks from Chinese patrols in the East Sea. In the coming days, all eyes will be on the response of the Vietnamese and Chinese people in response to Exxon’s agreement with Vietnam.