China and several other states (including Vietnam and the Philippines, which are US allies) dispute control of the sea between them. Part of what makes the dispute hot is that the area contains lots of oil. In other words, lots of opportunities to risk local disasters (oil spills) in order to contribute to global heating disaster.

If these countries sign a treaty to leave that oil in the sea bottom, perhaps it will become easier for them to agree on how to divide up the sovereignty.