The Chinese art of persuasion
Recent Chinese NOC activity in the South China Sea underscores a growing interest in the disputed region, as Beijing seeks to bring regional states around to its way of thinking
China is adopting a lower-key approach in the South China Sea as it looks to build up oil and gas production capacity. The region covers a wide range of exploration basins, from the mature (Pearl River Mouth, Sarawak) to potentially higher impact frontier basins, such as deepwater Sabah and Phu Khanh. Chinese national oil companies (NOCs) have set themselves ambitious expansion targets. In its 2018-25 plan, Cnooc aims to double its proven oil and gas reserves by 2025 to about 5bn bl oe. That means making more discoveries on the same scale as its 100bn m3 Lingshui gas find in the South China Sea. The region is now firmly in Cnooc's sights. In early April, the state-owned company completed Chi
Also in this section
11 February 2026
Panellists from three LNG buyers at LNG2026 in Doha outlined their evolving procurement strategies as they navigate heightened market volatility
11 February 2026
North African producer plans to boost output by early 2030, with Europe its number one priority as export destination
11 February 2026
Maritime leaders at LNG2026 warned of the dangers of over-regulation on competitiveness, sustainability and innovation
10 February 2026
The country has opened bidding on 50 blocks in a new licensing round but will face competition for attention and will need to address concerns about security and legislation
