Petrovietnam surveying oil block eyed by China-BP

LONDON, July 22 (Reuters) - State oil group Petrovietnam has resumed exploration activity in an area off Vietnam's coast which is the subject of a territorial dispute between Hanoi and China, Petrovietnam's partner, oil major BP Plc (BP.L) said.

"Petrovietnam is currently executing contracts for offshore survey activities on blocks 5.2 and 5.3," BP spokesman David Nicholas said.

Last year, BP suspended planned seismic surveys of Block 5.2 pending a resolution of the dispute.

The block is about 370 km (230 mi) offshore, between Vietnam and the Spratly Islands, a string of rocky outcrops in the South China Sea, suspected of containing large oil and gas deposits and which are claimed by Vietnam, China and Taiwan. (Reporting by Tom Bergin; Editing by David Cowell)