Malaysian PM Rejects China’s Demands to Halt Oil Exploration in South China Sea

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has pushed back against Beijing, saying his country will continue its oil and gas exploration projects in the South China Sea. His remarks followed a leaked diplomatic note issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry to the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia expressing Beijing’s claim that the projects “infringed” on Chinese territory, which was published by a Philippine media outlet on Aug. 29. Beijing had demanded that Malaysia immediately stop its oil and gas exploration in waters near Luconia Shoals, which is located about 62 miles from Malaysia’s Sarawak state and 1,200 miles from China’s Hainan Island. Under the UNCLOS, to which China is a signatory, countries have jurisdiction over natural resources within 200 nautical miles (230 miles) of their coastlines....