China spent years working with or buying companies that had mastered deep-water technology, honing skills it is now deploying on its own in disputed waters near Vietnam. China also spent heavily on developing its own sophisticated offshore equipment, of which the rig at the heart of the China-Vietnam standoff is a crown jewel, illustrating how the country can now largely go it alone—developing oil or gas reserves far underwater without relying heavily on foreign partners. The fact that it no longer needs foreign assistance raises the specter of future maritime conflict with not just Vietnam, but also Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines, all of which claim sovereignty over parts of the waters that China also claims. Chinese ships clashed with Vietnam’s coast guard over the rig Wednesday, the same day a crew of Chinese fishermen were detained by the Philippines near the disputed Spratly Islands. Philippine authorities on […]