Online Notice News

Chinese maritime officials on Friday removed an online notice giving the location of a $1-billion deepwater oil rig in the South China Sea two days after issuing it, following a warning from Vietnam about drilling in disputed waters. Vietnam closely tracks the movement of the oil rig, which in mid-2014 caused the worst diplomatic rift between the neighbours in decades, when China parked it for 10 weeks in waters Vietnam considers its own. Annual trade between the communist neighbours exceeds $60 billion but anti-China sentiment is strong in Vietnam, where people are embittered over what many see as a history of Chinese bullying and territorial infringements in the South China Sea.

The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will conduct an intercessional meeting to facilitate working group discussion of Task Statement 76, titled “Review of Performance Measures (Assessment Criteria)”, and Task Statement 77, titled “Development of Performance Measures (Assessment Criteria).” This meeting will be open to the public. The MERPAC working group will meet on January 31, 2012, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., and on February 1, 2012, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Please note that meetings may adjourn early if all business is finished.