The South China Sea is a single basin for the numerous islands and mainland lands of East and Southeast Asia. They vary in size and have a different history. Of particular importance are the Paracel Islands, photos of which will be presented below. Further in the article a description of these territories will be given. We will also find out why the Paracel Islands are famous.
Location
Paracel Islands are uninhabited areas that consist of small land areas and reefs. They are located 230 km from the southern part of China and 200 km from the eastern part of Vietnam. The largest territories, which include the Paracel Islands, are about. Patl, about. Lincoln. They also contain about. Brighton and Crescent Islands. Paracel Islands, the rest of which is not as popular as in other similar territories, have undoubted strategic importance.
Disputes
In 1974, China seized the Paracel Islands. At the same time, Vietnam and the Republic of China still disputed the right to them . Since 1975, North and South Vietnam have merged. This happened after the war. At that time, South Vietnam, without US support, was unable to continue military operations. After the unification, Vietnam lost the Paracel Islands.
Spratly Islands. Location
These islands are the archipelago of the South China Sea, which includes more than a hundred small islands, atolls, reefs, and are located in its southwestern part. The total area of the archipelago is about 5 km².
Importance for States
Six countries are fighting for possession of the islands at once. These include Vietnam, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan. Despite the small area, the archipelago is of great importance for these states. On the territory there are deposits of oil and gas, and in significant quantities. Due to the lack of a permanent population, they are used as a fishing area. About fifty islands are occupied by the military contingents of Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, China and Taiwan. And although the region does not have ports and harbors, it has four airports.
Chronology
In 1529, the Spratly Islands became the territory of Spain (under the Zaragoza Treaty). In 1898, they began to belong first to the United States, then to the Philippines. This certifies the Paris Treaty. In 1927, a French ship explored the islands. Three years later, the same state conducted a second expedition, as a result of which they raised the white flag of France. Two years later, a memorandum was sent to French rule from the PRC, according to which the Spratly Islands received sovereignty based on the Chinese interpretation of the treaty. It was concluded at the end of the war between France and China. In 1933, several of the largest islands were taken under control by three ships. At the same time, the region began to be considered French territory. However, Japan indicated the presence of phosphate mines on the archipelago, thereby questioning this sovereignty.
Based on this, attempts were made to take the territory under Japanese jurisdiction, but France and Great Britain raised a protest in this regard. In 1941, Japan occupied the islands, control of which remained until the end of World War II. After that, France and China again laid claims to this territory, and China even sent a military contingent there. In 1982, the territorial annexation of the archipelago to the province of Fukhan took place, some more areas were captured by the Philippines. A year later, the state of Malaysia built on about. Layang-Layang naval base and opened a resort, previously occupying this territory. In 1988, a battle took place between the forces of China and Vietnam, but the PRC won it, and its control over the area remained. In 1995, large-scale negotiations between the two states began, the theme of which was the general development of the available resources on the islands. In 2004, Philippine aircraft were shot over the archipelago. Vietnam has built an airport, thereby expanding its tourist presence. And the very next year after that, Vietnamese sovereignty over the Spratly Islands was declared.
Conflict between China and Vietnam
The Paracel Islands in Hainan is not the only stumbling block between China and Vietnam. There is a conflict regarding the land border. In 1979, after the Chinese army retreated from northern Vietnam, China was able to gain a foothold in some areas of the country. China does not have significant hydrocarbon deposits, but it is characterized by a population of more than 1 billion people. Of course, he was sad to see how some small countries possess the wealth acquired from oil production. Vietnam, in turn, did not want to invite the PRC to take part in the development of its deposits. In his media, he published patriotic articles that mentioned the heroic defense of the Spratly Islands and their current everyday life. China, on the other hand, counted heavily on these territories for locating its naval bases on them.
Peace treaties
Regarding the legal side of the issue, Vietnam and China are required to adhere to the UN Convention, which was adopted in 1982. The ASEAN Declaration adopted in 2002, the essence of which is the peaceful resolution of conflicts within the South China Sea, should also be taken into account. In addition, there are other acts of an international character. It would seem that they should clarify, but confuse the situation even more. The Geneva Accords concerning Vietnam, which were adopted in 1954, are recognized worldwide. Based on their results, two states were formed: the DRV and the Republic of Vietnam. The latter belonged to the Paracel Islands and the Spratly Archipelago.
Historical law
China insists that it can own all the islands located in the South China Sea. At the same time, the state refers to 1958, when Pham Van Dong, then prime minister of the DRV, recognized this right for China. However, this argument is not decisive, although significant enough. The statement was not made by the President of Vietnam, but it was he who was endowed with these powers. Therefore, the document may not even be considered as a contract. In addition, it is very difficult to prove the historical right to this territory because of its remote location and the absence of human activity on it for a long time. However, documentation on the expeditions of sailors from Vietnam to these islands is still preserved. Based on them, you can verify that they visit the archipelagos annually for different purposes, starting from the existence of the Nguyen dynasty. China, by contrast, has no evidence of its shipping. An exception is the use of islets by pirates as shelters. In order for China to have another argument besides Pham Van Dong’s statement, historians must prove that they were not pirates, but peaceful Chinese sailors. Relations between Vietnam and China are spasmodic. They heat up, then stabilize again. In addition, China conducts completely non-friendly actions that concern Vietnamese ships. An example of this is the cut cable of the hydrographic vessel of Vietnam, which carried out reconnaissance operations on the territory of the South China Sea. This incident occurred in 2011.