ABSTRACT
In June 2014, amid strident Vietnamese opposition to the Chinese Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig moving into waters around the disputed Paracel Islands, Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi travelled to Hanoi for discussions with Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh. This diplomatic effort only escalated antipathy between the two countries. In China, Yang was praised for taking the strategic hard line and moral high ground. Nationalist media outlet Huanqiu asserted that Yang had given Vietnam a chance to ‘rein itself in before it’s too late’ and urged ‘the prodigal son to return home’ (Tiezzi, 2014). Outraged Vietnamese commentators condemned their northern neighbour for once again threatening Vietnam’s sovereignty and disregarding international law.
