US national security advisor and presidential envoy Robert O’Brien on 4 November denounced Chinese intimidation to stop ASEAN nations from exploiting the offshore resources in the East Sea.

An oil rig on Viet Nam's continental shelf (Photo: VNA)

Addressing the seventh ASEAN – US Summit in Bangkok, O’Brien said China has sought to block access to oil and gas reserves worth 2.5 trillion USD there.

He also conveyed a message from President Donald Trump inviting the ASEAN leaders to join a special summit in the US in the first quarter of 2020.

The US has continuously condemned China’s violations of international law in the East Sea, including the illegal construction and militarisation of artificial entities in the East Sea, as well as hindering legal oil and gas activities in exclusive economic zones of Viet Nam and other coastal countries.

(Source: VNA)