Source: CCTV
Speaking to CCTV, Carnegie’s Wang Tao discussed the Chinese government’s response to the ConocoPhillips oil spill in the Bohai Bay. He stated that the event should serve as a wake up call to the environmental risks of drilling for oil and the need for government oversight of oil companies working in Chinese waters.
The events in Bohai Bay revealed how unprepared ConocoPhillips and the Chinese government were to respond to ecological problems, Wang explained. He stated that better regulation and monitoring of oil production activities are needed, adding that when problems arise, solutions should not be left entirely up to the oil company. He also recognized that NGOs must pressure the government to assume accountability and responsibility for environmental issues. Both the oil companies and the government can learn from the events in Bohai Bay and thus avoid future environmental problems in the South China Sea, Wang concluded.
