China ships ‘harassed’ Malaysian energy exploration, claims think tank

 

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative says the recent Chinese naval activity came after 16 of its military aircraft approached within 60 nautical miles of Sarawak in early June. (AP pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) has been accused of harassing Malaysian energy oil exploration in the hotly disputed South China Sea.

Citing transponder data and satellite imagery, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (Amti) claimed that several minor and unreported standoffs have been taking place near the Kasawari gas field off the coast of Sarawak.

Amti, a Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said this came after 16 Chinese military aircraft approached within 60 nautical miles of Sarawak, “flying in tactical formation”, on June 1.

It said data showed that a CCG vessel was operating near the Kasawari gas field soon after a pipe-laying vessel hired by Malaysia, Sapura 2000, had arrived in the area along with several offshore supply vessels on June 4.

“Automatic information system (AIS) data from the CCG vessel, with bow number 5504, shows it operating in close proximity to the Sapura 2000 almost immediately after the latter arrived at Kasawari,” it said.

It said it was replaced by the CCG 5303, a larger Zhaoduan-class cutter.

Amti said the second Chinese ship remained in the area even after the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Bunga Mas Lima, a naval auxiliary ship that was deployed a day in advance of the Sapura, returned to base on June 13.

“Satellite imagery from Planet Labs was able to capture the CCG 5303 operating close to the Sapura 2000 and its offshore supply vessels on three separate occasions.

“The 5303’s AIS signal goes dark from June 17 until July 5, but a July 3 image showed it still operating near the Kasawari field, suggesting it probably spent that time continuing to harass the Sapura 2000,” it said.

It said that on July 3, following the arrival of Sapura 3000, which joined the Sapura 2000 to instal a drilling platform, AIS data showed that CCG 5303, which clearly objected to that activity, passed less than 400m from the Sapura 3000, and about 200m from one of its offshore supply ships, the Bes Elite.

“This is at least the third time since last spring that the CCG has harassed Malaysian energy exploration.

“It demonstrates again Beijing’s persistence in challenging its neighbours’ oil and gas activities within their own exclusive economic zones,” it said.

Amti said that currently, there has been no activity from Malaysian law enforcement or military since the departure of the Bunga Mas Lima in June.

“While the current tensions are likely to subside once the installation of the wellhead is complete, a second phase of work at Kasawari slated for 2022 suggests that friction between Chinese law enforcement and Malaysian offshore energy operations off Sarawak is almost guaranteed to continue,” it said. - FMT