Australian think tank warned tensions over the South China Sea could draw America into war

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/international/2011/November/international_November737.xml§ion=international

US, China face off over sea dispute (Reuters)

19 November 2011

NUSA DUA - The United States and China faced off on Saturday over the thorny issue of how to resolve competing claims by Asian countries to sovereignty of the South China Sea, the latest point of friction between the two powers.

President Barack Obama told Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who indirectly warned Washington on Friday to stay out of the dispute, that the United States wanted to ensure the sea lanes were kept open and peaceful.

Tensions flared earlier this year with often tense maritime stand-offs between claimants, including China, to a sea that carries some $5 trillion a year in world trade. An Australian think tank warned in June the tensions could spark a conflict that could draw in the United States and other powers. snip

Estimates of proven and undiscovered oil reserves in the South China Sea range from 28 billion barrels of oil to as high as 213 billion barrels, US figures showed in 2008. Gas deposits could be as high as 3.8 trillion cubic metres.

Both could supply China with energy for decades.

[The Straight Story]

1. What, did they find oil there? (nt)

[dipsydoodle]

2. Which presumably

is why Oz just agreed to US bases there in Oz.

Maybe they should just stick to shagging sheep.