Paracel Islands

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Paracel Islands

The Paracel Islands (Chinese: 西沙群岛; pinyin: Xīshā Qúndǎo; Vietnamese: Quần đảo Hoàng Sa) are a group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea and part of the South China Sea Islands, about one-third of the way from Vietnam to the Philippines. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves.

1 History
2 Geographical data
3 Islands
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

Chinese sources cite records and maps of the Paracel Islands dated as early as the Han Dynasty, as well as archaeology objects of Chinese origin as proof of historical Chinese connection to the islands.
Vietnamese official sources documented the islands' existence by the 15th century with references of naval expeditions to the islands to reconnoiter and salvaging of wrecks. Fishermen, however, were known to visit the islands from even earlier times to gather sea bird products and seek safe harbor during stormy seas.
After the Sino-French War, the Chinese lost its actual control over the islands in South China sea to western colonial powers, but the governments of the Qing Dynasty and succeeding Chinese governments had never recognized the western colonial powers' take over. However, the weak Chinese regimes meant that its protests was useless. Just like earlier Chinese claims over the islands, the Chinese claim over the islands of Qing Dynasty was also ignored by western colonial powers.
1932, Paracel Islands was placed on the map of Vietnam by the Nguyen Dynasty. The Paracel were controlled by Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam.
In 1932, French Indochina and Nguyen Dynasty in Vietnam annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island.
In 1939, Empire of Japan invaded and occupied from the French. Ironically, the official reason for the Japanese invasion was that the islands were Chinese territory.
After World War II, the Republic of China government reaffirmed the Chinese sovereignty over the islands like other islands in the South China Sea, and dispatched patrol force to the islands, but this was challenged by the French. However, the dispute was only political and diplomatic as both sides attempted to gain US backing.
In the latter half of 1940's, French reclaimed the Paracel Islands. The Republic of China has never accepted the French claims.

Paracel Islands' location relative to the claimants

In 1951, at the San Francisco Conference on the Treaty of San Francisco with Japan, which formally nations are sovereign over these islands, Vietnam's representative claimed that both the Paracel and Spratly Islands are territory of Vietnam, and was met with no challenge from the nations at the conference. However, neither the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China were invited, and both considered the claim was a violation of Chinese sovereignty and neither had accepted it. Both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China condemned the decision and reaffirmed their control over the islands politically and diplomatically.
After the fall of the nationalist regime in China, the Chinese controlled eastern half of the Paracel islands also fell into the communist hands. Several small clashes occurred between the French and the communist Chinese naval forces during this period but was eventually settled along the actual line of control that split the islands into eastern and western half.
After the French left in 1956, South Vietnam replaced the French in controlling the islands. Again, both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China politically and diplomatically condemned the decision and reaffirmed their control over the islands. Although the South Vietnamese inherited the same French claim over the entire Paracel Islands, the period was marked by the peace and both sides held on what was in their control without venturing into other's domain. At the same time, the maps and other official documents of the North Vietnam government during this period had shown that the islands belong to China, mainly due to the fact that China was the largest backer of North Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
The political and diplomatic dispute became an armed conflict on January 19, 1974 in the battle of battle of Hoang Sa 1974. Chinese forces swiftly overran the South Vietnamese positions. With the ensuing civil war embroiling South Vietnam's attention, no military attempt was made to retake the islands from the People's Republic of China (PRC).
The Islands are always claimed by the People's Republic of China, Republic of China, and Vietnam.

[edit] Geographical data

Geographic coordinates: 16°30′N, 112°00′E Coordinates: 16°30′N, 112°00′E
Coastline: 518 km
Climate: tropical
Elevation extremes:
- lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
- highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Natural resources: none
Natural hazards: typhoons

[edit] Islands

English names:
- Islands: Tree Island, West Sand, Rocky Island, Woody Island, Lincoln Island, Pattle Island, Robert Island, Money Island, Drummond Island, Duncan Island, Passu Keah, Triton Island, etc.
- Reefs: North Reef, Vuladore Reef, Discovery Reef, Bombay Reef, etc.
Chinese names:
- Yongle Islands: Shanhudao, Ganquandao,Jinyindao,Chenhangdao,Jinqindao, Guangjindao, etc.
- Xuande Islands(宣德群岛): Zhaoshudao(赵述岛),Beidao(北岛),Zhongdao(中岛),Nandao (Island)(南岛),Shidao,Dongdao(东岛),Yongxindao(Woody Island永兴岛),etc.
- and also: Zhongjiandao(中建岛),Gaojianshi,Panshiyu,Yuzhuojiao,Langhuajiao(浪花礁),Beijiao(北礁),etc.
Vietnamese names:
- Nhóm Đông (East Group, or Amphitrite Group; South Vietnamese: Nhóm An Vĩnh): đảo Cây (aka đảo Cù Mộc) (Tree Island), đảo Bắc (North Island), đảo Giữa/Trung (Middle Island), đảo Nam (South Island), đảo Phú Lâm (Woody Island), đảo Linh Côn (Lincoln Island), Cồn Cát Tây (West Sand), Cồn Cát Nam (South Sand), Đá/Hòn Tháp (Rocky Island), etc.
- Nhóm Tây (West Group, or Crescent Group; aka Nhóm Trăng Khuyết or Nhóm Nguyệt Thiềm): đảo Hoàng Sa (Pattle Island), (đảo) Đá Bắc (North Reef), đảo Hữu Nhật (Robert Island), (đảo) Đá Lồi (Discovery Reef), đảo/đá Bạch Quy (Passu Keah/Island), đảo Tri Tôn (Triton Island), đảo Quang Ảnh (Money Island), đảo Quang Hòa (Duncan Island), đảo Duy Mộng (Drummond Island), Cồn/Đá Bông Bay (Bombay Reef), Đảo/Đá Chim Yến (Vuladdore Reef), etc.

[edit] See also

Territorial disputes in East and South Asia
Type	Territory	Currently Administered by	Claimants
Land:	Aksai Chin		²
	Arunachal Pradesh		²
	Assam		¹
	East Turkestan		¹ ²
	Indo-Bangladesh enclaves³
	Kashmir³
	Kachin State		¹ ²
	Kayin State		¹
	Korean Peninsula³
	Mainland China²
	Mongolia²
	Pattani		¹
	Sabah
	Shan State		¹
	Tibet		¹ ²
	Trans-Karakoram Tract
	Wa State		¹
Islands and Waters:	Dokdo
	Kinmen
	Macclesfield Bank
	Matsu
	Paracel Islands
	Pedra Branca
	Pratas Islands
	Senkaku Islands
	Sir Creek³
	Socotra Rock
	Southern Kuril Islands
	Spratly Islands³
	Taiwan
Notes:	¹Government in exile/exiled group. ²Inactive dispute. ³Divided among multiple claimants.
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