South China Sea: Trilateral Exploration and Territorial Claims

State-run oil companies from China, the Philippines and Vietnam have signed an agreement to jointly conduct a seismic survey in the South China Sea. Largely orchestrated by Manila, the agreement could result in the first systematic survey of energy potential in the area conducted exclusively by claimant countries. Although the deal appears to promise peaceful exploration, it fails to address sovereignty disputes over the Spratly Islands and their offshore regions — disputes that could become much more heated should the test have promising results.