Satelite image showing the new location of oil drilling vessel 981's operation. [Photo: Sina]

Chinese maritime authorities announced that the offshore oil drilling vessel 981 is back in operation off the coast of Hainan island.

The resumption of the operation came after the vessel completed the operation near Xisha Islands ten days ago.

China National Offshore Oil Corporation, which owns the vessel, has said that they withdrew the platform after the mission successfully found oil and gas reserves.

The two-month operation fueled fierce clashes between Chinese and Vietnamese coast guard vessels.

The two sides repeatedly collided with each other as Chinese ships tried to fend off the Vietnamese.

China's Foreign Ministry said that the Xisha operation was within Chinese territory, emphasizing that the movement, resumption or revocation of the project should be decided by nobody but the company.

According to the China Maritime Safety Administration's statement, the new location of the drilling operation is some 68 nauctical miles off the south-eastern tip of Hainan Island.

The new site is some two hundred nauctical miles to the north-west of its previous location.

The new drilling mission is expected to last until September 30.

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