Thousands of Vietnamese citizens attacked what they believed to be Chinese factories in Vietnam in protests over China’s decision to place an oil rig in disputed waters in the South China Sea. Some of the factories were owned by Taiwanese businesses, but the protesters mistook them for Chinese-owned facilities. The degree of anger over the territorial dispute is likely something precipitated by the government, but it also reflects a long-standing animosity between Vietnam and China. The oil rig is scheduled to stay in place until August so this protest may signal only the beginning of the unrest. In another area of the South China Sea, the Spratley Island group, the Philippines have accused China of building an airstrip on Johnson Reef. The map below gives an idea of the competing claims to the Spratley Islands.
Iran and Saudi Arabia have begun to explore the possibility of better relations. The hostility between the two states is deep and long-standing, but the current negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 have opened up different configurations of power in the Middle East. The two states are aware that their current postures are contributing to greater violence in the region, and have apparently decided that talking with each other offers the possibility of at least avoiding a larger confrontation.
The diplomatic language on the Israeli-Palestinian issue has taken a dramatic turn since the collapse of the most recent negotiations. After comments by Secretary of State Kerry and chief negotiator, Martin Indyk, there are more who are concerned about the future of Israel. It does appear as if the right-wing in Israel, actually a small percentage of the Israeli population, has decided that there should not be a Palestinian state. How the dispute can be resolved without a two-state solution is not at all clear.
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