In the dispute over the Spratly Islands, Malaysia has sent a letter of complaint to Vietnam over the alleged expansion of a coral reef that both countries claim as their own.
Kuala Lumpur (/Agencies) – Malaysia sent a letter of complaint to Vietnam over the alleged expansion of a coral reef in the South China Sea that both countries claim as their own. This was reported by the agency Reutersciting local officials as a source. The letter was addressed to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in early October, but has so far received no response.
The situation raises a new front of friction in this disputed arm of the sea, although in this case it does not involve China. The complaint refers to the alleged artificial expansion of Barque Canada Reef, an islet in the Spratly archipelago where Vietnam has built numerous infrastructures according to satellite images analyzed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. few days ago Radio Free Asia reported that Hanoi was also building an airstrip there.
On the tiny Spratly Islands, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines all stake different claims and degrees of occupation. They have been the subject of significant construction in recent years as countries seek to reinforce their territorial claims and demonstrate that they can establish human settlements on dozens of islets.
China’s activities have attracted the most attention, with seven islands built on submerged reefs. While disputes between Malaysia and Vietnam over swaths of territory are rare, Kuala Lumpur has regularly opposed what it claims is an encroachment by Vietnamese fishermen into its exclusive economic zone, even leading to the arrest of some Hanoi fishermen.
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