China’s CNOOC starts production at disputed gas field

China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) has said gas production had begun from an oil and gas field in the East China Sea, a territory that is the focus of a drawn-out dispute with Japan.

Japan and China have long disputed the maritime boundary that lies between them, and Beijing has always insisted its explorations in the East China Sea are within China’s territorial waters.

But Japan says the gas field lies too close to its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) — a delineation not recognized by China — and fears China might siphon off resources from an area Japan claims as its territory.

Channel News Asia