THE REAL SOUTH CHINA SEA BULLY: The BBC reports China threatened to attack Vietnamese bases in the Spratly Islands if Hanoi continued to explore the area for oil.

The threat came a few days after a Spanish company working for Vietnam confirmed the discovery of a major natural gas field.

RELATED: The 2014 drilling clash between the Communist neighbors. As the column says, when it’s one on one, Vietnam has the weaker hand.

PHOTO: China’s Maritime Security Agency (coast guard) has muscle. This is an off-shore patrol vessel.