Vietnam,China row on Oil exploration

Vietnam protests China's  on Oil exploration bid in disputed sea.Vietnam  called on China to stop developing offshore oil and gas fields in the disputed South China Sea.

Vietnam's strong protest came after China National Offshore Oil Corporation began international bidding for joint development projects. The contracts are for mining sites in the approximately 160,000-square-kilometer area near Vietnam.

President of Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group Do Van Hau said on Wednesday that China's actions are illegal. He said the mining lots lie within his country's exclusive economic zone.

A Vietnamese foreign ministry spokesperson said the lots are even closer to his country than areas which have been disputed with China for many years.He also stressed that Vietnam has already begun to conduct surveys in the area for joint projects with oversea firms.

A Chinese foreign ministry official said it is natural for China National Offshore Oil Corporation to seek bids to explore the sea. The official said that China hopes Vietnam will not violate its rights to oil and gas in the area.China's maritime authority, the State Oceanic Administration, said four patrol ships departed for the area on Tuesday.Media agencies