57822367 Spratly Islands

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Spratly IslandsFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Spratly Islands

Disputed islands

Geography

Location South China Sea

Coordinates838N 11155ECoordinates:

838N 11155E(Spratly Island)

Total islands over 750

Major

islands

Itu Aba Island

Namyit Island

Northeast Cay

Sin Cowe Island

Southwest Cay

Spratly Island

Swallow Reef

Thitu Island

West York Island

Area less than 5 square kilometres (1.9 sq mi)

Coastline 926 kilometres (575 mi)

Highest

point

unnamed location onSouthwest Cay

4 metres (13 ft)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_China_Seahttp://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_http://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_http://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_http://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_http://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itu_Aba_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itu_Aba_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namyit_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namyit_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_Cowe_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_Cowe_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallow_Reefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallow_Reefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thitu_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thitu_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_York_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_York_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:South_China_Sea.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:South_China_Sea.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:South_China_Sea.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_York_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thitu_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallow_Reefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_Cowe_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namyit_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itu_Aba_Islandhttp://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_http://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_http://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_China_Sea


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Administered by

Claimed by

Brunei

EEZ Louisa Reef

Malaysia

State Sabah

Philippines

Municipality Kalayaan,Palawan

People's Republic of China

CountyParacels, Spratlys, and Zhongsha Islands

Authority,Hainan

Republic of China (Taiwan)

Municipality Kaohsiung

Vietnam

Province Khanh Hoa

Demographics

Population No indigenous population[1]

Spratly Islands

Chinese name

Traditional Chinese

Simplified Chinese

[show]Transcriptions

Filipino name

Tagalog Kapuluan ng Kalayaan

Malay name

Malay Kepulauan Spratly

Vietnamese name

Quc ng Qun o Trng Sa

Hn t
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruneihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruneihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_of_Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipalities_of_the_Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalayaan,_Palawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalayaan,_Palawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_%28People%27s_Republic_of_China%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracels,_Spratlys,_and_Zhongsha_Islands_Authorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracels,_Spratlys,_and_Zhongsha_Islands_Authorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracels,_Spratlys,_and_Zhongsha_Islands_Authorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct-controlled_municipalityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaohsiunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaohsiunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khanh_Hoa_Provincehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Chinese_charactershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplified_Chinese_charactershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagalog_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_alphabethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A1n_t%E1%BB%B1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A1n_t%E1%BB%B1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_alphabethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagalog_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplified_Chinese_charactershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Chinese_charactershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khanh_Hoa_Provincehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaohsiunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct-controlled_municipalityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracels,_Spratlys,_and_Zhongsha_Islands_Authorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracels,_Spratlys,_and_Zhongsha_Islands_Authorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_%28People%27s_Republic_of_China%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalayaan,_Palawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipalities_of_the_Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_of_Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunei


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The Spratly Islands are a group of more than 750reefs,[2]

islets,atolls,caysandislands

in theSouth China Sea. Thearchipelagolies off the coasts of thePhilippinesandMalaysia(Sabah), about one third of the way from there to southernVietnam. They

comprise less than four square kilometers of land area spread over more than 425,000

square kilometers of sea. The Spratlys are one of three archipelagos of the South China

Sea which comprise more than 30,000 islands and reefs and which complicategovernance and economics in that region of Southeast Asia. Such small and remote

islands have little economic value in themselves, but are important in establishing

international boundaries. There are no native islanders but there are rich fishing groundsand initial surveys indicate the islands may contain significant reserves of oil and natural

gas.

About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from

Vietnam, thePeople's Republic of China, theRepublic of China (Taiwan),Malaysiaand

thePhilippines.Bruneihas also claimed anEEZin the southeastern part of the Spratlysencompassing just one area of small islands above mean high water (on Louisa Reef.)

Contents

[hide]

1 Geographic and economic overview 2 Ecology

o 2.1 Coral reefso 2.2 Vegetationo 2.3 Wildlifeo 2.4 Ecological hazards

3 Historyo 3.1 Early cartographyo 3.2 Military conflicto 3.3 Telecommunications

4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links

Geographic and economic overview
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reefshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reefshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isletshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isletshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isletshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atollshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atollshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atollshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_China_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_China_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_China_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archipelagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archipelagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archipelagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruneihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruneihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruneihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Geographic_and_economic_overviewhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Geographic_and_economic_overviewhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Ecologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Ecologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Coral_reefshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Coral_reefshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Vegetationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Vegetationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Wildlifehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Wildlifehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Ecological_hazardshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Ecological_hazardshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Early_cartographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Early_cartographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Military_conflicthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Military_conflicthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Telecommunicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Telecommunicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Further_readinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Further_readinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#External_linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#External_linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#External_linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Further_readinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Telecommunicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Military_conflicthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Early_cartographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Ecological_hazardshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Wildlifehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Vegetationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Coral_reefshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Ecologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#Geographic_and_economic_overviewhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruneihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archipelagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_China_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atollshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isletshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reefs


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NASApicture of acayin the Spratly group.

Coordinates: 838N 11155E Area (land): less than 5 km

o note: includes 148 or so islets,coral reefs, andseamountsscattered over anarea of nearly 410,000 km of the central South China Sea

Coastline: 926 km

Political divisions:o Vietnam: Part ofKhnh Ha Province;o Brunei: ClaimsLouisa Reefitself, as well as anExclusive Economic Zone

(EEZ) around that and neighboring reefs;[3]

o Malaysia: Part of the state ofSabah;o Philippines: Part ofPalawanprovince;o People's Republic of China: Part of theParacels, Spratlys, and Zhongsha

Islands Authority,Hainanprovince;

o Republic of China: Part ofKaohsiungmunicipality Climate: tropical Terrain: flat Elevation extremes:

o lowest point: South China Sea (0 m)o highest point: unnamed location onSouthwest Cay(4 m)

Natural hazards: serious maritime hazards because of numerous banks, reefs andshoals

The islands are most likely volcanic in origin.[4]

The islands themselves contain almost no

significantarable landand have no indigenous inhabitants, although twenty of theislands, including Itu Aba, the largest, are considered to be able to sustain human life.

Natural resources includefish,guano, undeterminedoilandnatural gaspotential.

Economicactivity includes commercialfishing,shipping, andtourism. The proximity to

nearbyoil- andgas-producingsedimentarybasins suggests the potential for oil and gasdeposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of

potential reserves. Commercial exploitation ofhydrocarbonshas yet to be developed. The

Spratly Islands have at least three fishing ports, several docks and harbors, at least three

heliports, at least four territorial rigging style outposts (especially due west ofNamyit),[5]

and six to eightairstrips. These islands are strategically located near several primary

shipping lanes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASAhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASAhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayhttp://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_type:isle&title=Spratly+Islandhttp://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_type:isle&title=Spratly+Islandhttp://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_type:isle&title=Spratly+Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seamounthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seamounthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seamounthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kh%C3%A1nh_H%C3%B2a_Provincehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kh%C3%A1nh_H%C3%B2a_Provincehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kh%C3%A1nh_H%C3%B2a_Provincehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Louisa_Reef&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Louisa_Reef&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Louisa_Reef&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EEZhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EEZhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EEZhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Brunei-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Brunei-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Brunei-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Province_Paracels,_Spratlys,_and_Zhongsha_Islands_Authorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Province_Paracels,_Spratlys,_and_Zhongsha_Islands_Authorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Province_Paracels,_Spratlys,_and_Zhongsha_Islands_Authorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Province_Paracels,_Spratlys,_and_Zhongsha_Islands_Authorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaohsiunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaohsiunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaohsiunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-volcanic-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-volcanic-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-volcanic-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arable_landhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arable_landhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arable_landhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shippinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shippinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shippinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedimenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedimenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedimenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocarbonshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocarbonshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocarbonshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Namyit&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Namyit&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Namyit&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airstriphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airstriphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airstriphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SpratISS006-E-21713.PNGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SpratISS006-E-21713.PNGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SpratISS006-E-21713.PNGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SpratISS006-E-21713.PNGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SpratISS006-E-21713.PNGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SpratISS006-E-21713.PNGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airstriphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Namyit&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocarbonshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedimenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shippinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arable_landhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-volcanic-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaohsiunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Province_Paracels,_Spratlys,_and_Zhongsha_Islands_Authorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Province_Paracels,_Spratlys,_and_Zhongsha_Islands_Authorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palawanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Brunei-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EEZhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Louisa_Reef&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kh%C3%A1nh_H%C3%B2a_Provincehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seamounthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reefhttp://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Spratly_Islands&params=8_38_N_111_55_E_type:isle&title=Spratly+Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA


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Ecology

Coral reefs

Coral reefsare the predominant structure of these islands; the Spratly group contains over

600 coral reefs in total.[2]

Vegetation

Little vegetation grows on these islands, which are subject to intensemonsoons.[2]Larger

islands are capable of supportingtropical forest,scrub forest,coastal scruband grasses.[2]

It is difficult to determine which species have been introduced or cultivated by humans.[2]

Itu AbaIsland was reportedly covered withshrubs,coconut, andmangrovesin 1938;pineapplewas also cultivated here when it was profitable.[2]Other accounts mention

papaya,banana,palm, and evenwhite peach treesgrowing on one island.[2]A few islands

which have been developed as small tourist resorts have had soil and trees brought in and

planted where there were none.[2]

Wildlife

The islands that do have vegetation provide important habitats for many seabirds and sea

turtles.[2]

Both theGreen Turtle(Chelonia mydas,endangered) and theHawksbill Turtle

(Eretmochelys imbricata,critically endangered) formerly occurred in numbers sufficient

to support commercial exploitation.[2]

These species reportedly continue to nest even onislands inhabited by military personnel (such asPratas) to some extent, though it is

believed that their numbers have declined.[2]

Seabirds use the islands for resting, breeding, andwinteringsites.[2]Species found here

includeStreaked Shearwater(Calonectris Leucomelas),Brown Booby(Sula

Leucogaster),Red-Footed Booby(S. sula),Great Crested Tern(Sterna bergii), andWhiteTern(Gygis Alba).[2]Little information is available regarding current status of the

islands seabird populations, though it is likely that birds may divert nesting site tosmaller, less disturbed islands. Bird eggs cover the majority ofSong Tu, a small island in

theeastern Danger Zone.[2]

Unfortunately, thisecoregionis still largely a mystery.[2]

Scientists have focused their

research on the marine environment, while the ecology of the terrestrial environmentremains relatively unknown.[2]

Ecological hazards

Political instability, tourism and the increasing industrialization of neighboring countries

has led to serious disruption of native flora and fauna,over-exploitationof natural
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reefshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reefshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsoonshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsoonshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_foresthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_foresthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_foresthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrub_foresthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrub_foresthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrub_foresthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal_scrubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal_scrubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal_scrubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itu_Abahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itu_Abahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrubshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrubshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrubshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconuthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconuthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconuthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangroveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangroveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangroveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_treehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_treehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_treehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_peach_trees&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_peach_trees&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_peach_trees&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Turtlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Turtlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Turtlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelonia_mydashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelonia_mydashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelonia_mydashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangeredhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangeredhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangeredhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawksbill_Turtlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawksbill_Turtlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawksbill_Turtlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eretmochelys_imbricatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eretmochelys_imbricatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eretmochelys_imbricatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critically_endangeredhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critically_endangeredhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critically_endangeredhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winteringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winteringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winteringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaked_Shearwaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaked_Shearwaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaked_Shearwaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calonectris_Leucomelashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calonectris_Leucomelashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calonectris_Leucomelashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Boobyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Boobyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Boobyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sula_Leucogasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sula_Leucogasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sula_Leucogasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sula_Leucogasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-Footed_Boobyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-Footed_Boobyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-Footed_Boobyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._sulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._sulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._sulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Crested_Ternhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Crested_Ternhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Crested_Ternhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterna_bergiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterna_bergiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterna_bergiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Ternhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Ternhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Ternhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Ternhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gygis_Albahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gygis_Albahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gygis_Albahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Song_Tu&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Song_Tu&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Song_Tu&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eastern_Danger_Zone&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eastern_Danger_Zone&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecoregionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecoregionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecoregionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-exploitationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-exploitationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-exploitationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-exploitationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecoregionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eastern_Danger_Zone&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Song_Tu&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gygis_Albahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Ternhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Ternhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterna_bergiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Crested_Ternhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._sulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-Footed_Boobyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sula_Leucogasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sula_Leucogasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Boobyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calonectris_Leucomelashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaked_Shearwaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winteringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critically_endangeredhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eretmochelys_imbricatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawksbill_Turtlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangeredhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelonia_mydashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Turtlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_peach_trees&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_treehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangroveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconuthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrubshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itu_Abahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastal_scrubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrub_foresthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_foresthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsoonshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reefs


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resources, andenvironmental pollution.[2]

Disruption of nesting areas by human activity

or by introduced animals, such as dogs, has reduced the number of turtles nesting on theislands.[2]Sea turtles are also slaughtered for food on a significant scale.[2]The sea turtle

is a symbol of longevity in Chinese customs and at times the military personnel are given

orders to protect the turtles.[2]

Heavy commercial fishing in the region incurs other problems. Though it has been

outlawed, fishing methods continue to include the use ofbottom trawlsfitted withchainrollers.[2]In addition, during a recent routine patrol, more than 200 kg ofPotassium

cyanidesolution was confiscated from fishermen who had been using it for fish

poisoning. These activities have a devastating impact on local marine organisms andcoral reefs.[2]

Some interest has been taken in regard to conservation of these island ecosystems .[2]

J.W.

McManushas explored the possibilities of designating portions of the Spratly Islands as amarine park.[2]One region of the Spratly Archipelago, calledTruong Sa, was proposed by

Vietnams Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (MOSTE) as a futureprotected area.[2]The 160 sq. km site is currently managed by theKhanh HoaProvincialPeoples Committee of Vietnam.[2]

Military groups in the Spratlys have engaged in environmentally damaging activities suchas shooting turtles and seabirds, raiding nests, and fishing with explosives.[2]The

collection of rare medicinal plants, collecting of wood and hunting for the wildlife trade

are common threats to the biodiversity of the entire region, including these islands.[2]

Coral habitats are threatened by pollution, over-exploitation of fish and invertebrates, and

the use of explosives and poisons as fishing techniques.[2]

History

Early cartography
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wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_cyanidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_cyanidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chain_rollers&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chain_rollers&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bottom_trawls&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-ECO-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_pollution


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Geographic map of Spratlys. Click for more detailed image. For a satellite images of the

islands, tagged by occupying country, seehere.

The first possible human interaction with the Spratly Islands dates back between 600

BCE to 3 BCE. This is based on the theoretical migration patterns of the people of

Nanyue(southernChinaand northern Vietnam) and OldChampakingdom who mayhave migrated from Borneo, which may have led them through the Spratly Islands.[6]

Ancient Chinese maps record the "ThousandLiStretch of Sands"; Qianli Changsha (

) and the "Ten-ThousandLiof Stone Pools"; Wanli Shitang (),[7]whichChina today claims refers to the Spratly Islands. The Wanli Shitang have been explored

by the Chinese since theYuan Dynastyand may have been considered by them to have

been within their national boundaries.[8][9]

They are also referenced in the 13thcentury,[10]followed by the Ming Dynasty.[11]When the Ming Dynasty collapsed, the

Qing Dynastycontinued to include the territory in maps compiled in 1724,[12]1755,[13]

1767,[14]

1810,[15]

and 1817.[16]

A Vietnamese map from 1834 also includes the Spratly

Islands clumped in with theParacels(a common occurrence on maps of that time) labeledas "Wanli Changsha".[17]

According toHanoi, old Vietnamese maps record Bi Ct Vng (Golden Sandbanks,

referring to bothParacelsand the Spratly Islands) which lay near the Coast of the central

Vietnam as early as 1838.[18]

InPh Bin Tp Lc (Frontier Chronicles) by the scholarLe

Quy Don, Hong Sa and Trng Sa were defined as belonging to Qung Ngi District.He described it as where sea products and shipwrecked cargoes were available to be

collected. Vietnamese text written in the 17th century referenced government-sponsored

economic activities during theLe Dynasty, 200 years earlier. The Vietnamese

government conducted several geographical surveys of the islands in the 18th century.[18]

Despite the fact that China and Vietnam both made a claim to these territoriessimultaneously, at the time, neither side was aware that their neighbor had already

charted and made claims to the same stretch of islands.[18]

The islands were sporadically visited throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth

centuries by mariners from different European powers (includingRichard Spratly, after

whom the island group derives its most recognizableEnglishname).[19]

However, thesenations showed little interest in the islands. In 1883, German boats surveyed the Spratly

and Paracel Islands but withdrew the survey eventually after receiving protests from the

Nguyen Dynasty. Many European maps before the 20th century do not even make

mention of this region.[20]

Military conflict

Main article:Spratly Islands dispute

In 1933,Franceasserted its claims from 1887[21]

to the Spratly and Paracel Islands onbehalf of its then-colony Vietnam.[22]It occupied a number of the Spratly Islands,
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112047810770307867127.0004460b96d655257cc9c&ll=11.070603,115.708008&spn=9.563619,20.566406&t=k&z=6http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112047810770307867127.0004460b96d655257cc9c&ll=11.070603,115.708008&spn=9.563619,20.566406&t=k&z=6http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112047810770307867127.0004460b96d655257cc9c&ll=11.070603,115.708008&spn=9.563619,20.566406&t=k&z=6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanyuehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanyuehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_%28unit%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_%28unit%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_%28unit%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_%28unit%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_%28unit%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_%28unit%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated1-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated1-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated1-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated4-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated4-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated4-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qing_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qing_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated3-11http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated3-11http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated3-11http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated2-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated2-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated2-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracelshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracelshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracelshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Quy_Donhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Quy_Donhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Quy_Donhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Quy_Donhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Spratlyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Spratlyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Spratlyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands_disputehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands_disputehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands_disputehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-encarta-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-encarta-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-encarta-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-encarta-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands_disputehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Spratlyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Quy_Donhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Quy_Donhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-KING-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracelshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated2-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated3-11http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qing_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated4-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-autogenerated1-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_%28unit%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_%28unit%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanyuehttp://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112047810770307867127.0004460b96d655257cc9c&ll=11.070603,115.708008&spn=9.563619,20.566406&t=k&z=6


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9/22

On May 23, 2011, Philippine PresidentBenigno Aquino IIIwarned the Chinese defense

minister of a possiblearms racein the region if tensions worsened over disputes in theSouth China Sea.

Aquino said he told visiting Chinese Defense MinisterLiang Guangliein their meeting

that such an arms race could result if there were more encounters in the disputed andpotentially oil-rich Spratly islands.

When we have these incidents, does it not promote an arms race happening within theregion? And when there is an arms race, does not the potential for conflict increase? herecalled telling Liang.

Aquino was quoted as saying: We may not have the capabilities now, but that mightforce us to increase our capabilities also".

[27]

In May 2011, Chinese naval vessels opened fire on Vietnamese fishing vessels operating

off East London Reef (Da Dong Island). Three military vessels were numbered 989, 27and 28. They showed up with a small group of Chinese fishing vessels. Another

Vietnamese fishing vessel was fired on near Cross (Chu Thap) Island. The Chief

Commander of Border Guards in Phu Yen Province, Vietnam reports that a total of fourVietnamese vessels were fired upon by Chinese naval vessels.[28][verification needed]

Telecommunications

In 2005, cellular phone base station was erected by the Philippines'Smart

Communicationson Pag-asa Island.[29]

On 18 May 2011,China Mobileannounced that its mobile phone coverage has expandedto the Spratly Islands, under the rationale that it can allow soldiers stationed on the

islands, fishermen and merchant vessels within the area to use mobile services, and canalso provide assistance during storms and sea rescues. The deployment of China Mobile's

support over the islands took roughly one year to fulfil.[30]

Philippines: Constitutional Issues on Spratly Islands

Deal Raised

No such thing as pre-explorationSatur

Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Satur C. Ocampo today raised two

Constitutional issues on the controversial Spratly Islands deal saying the Arroyo

government appears to have surrendered the States power to fully control and supervisethe utilization of the countrys natural resources.

On its face, as gathered from media reports, the so-called tripartite agreement is patentlyunconstitutional, says Ocampo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benigno_Aquino_IIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benigno_Aquino_IIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benigno_Aquino_IIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_racehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_racehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_racehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liang_Guangliehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liang_Guangliehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liang_Guangliehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Philippines_warns_China-26http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Philippines_warns_China-26http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Philippines_warns_China-26http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-27http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-27http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiabilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiabilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiabilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Philippines_erected_mobile_phone_in_Spratleys-28http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Philippines_erected_mobile_phone_in_Spratleys-28http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Philippines_erected_mobile_phone_in_Spratleys-28http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Mobilehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Mobilehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Mobilehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Mobilehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Philippines_erected_mobile_phone_in_Spratleys-28http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Communicationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiabilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-27http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands#cite_note-Philippines_warns_China-26http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liang_Guangliehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_racehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benigno_Aquino_III


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Ocampo cited Article 12, Sec. 2 of the 1987 Constitution on National Economy and

Patrimony which, he said, is violated by the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU)with China and Vietnam.

Art. 12, Sec. 2 provides: (T)he exploration, development, and utilization of natural

resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the State. The State maydirectly undertake such activities, or it may enter into co-production, joint venture, or

production-sharing agreement with Filipino citizens, or corporations or associations atleast sixty per centum of whose capital is owned by such citizens. Such agreements may

be for a period not exceeding twenty-five years, renewable for not more than twenty-five

years, and under such terms and conditions as may be provided by law.

The same provision also says that the President shall notify the Congress of everycontract entered into in accordance with this provision, within 30 days from its

execution.

First, it appears that MsArroyo basically surrendered the States full control andsupervision on the exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources to twoforeign countries, Ocampo said.

Second, the agreement has been kept confidential since its signing until now, Ocamposaid. It looks like Ms Arroyo had no intention of notifying Congress at all.

Ocampo said that Ms Arroyo should be held accountable for this Constitutionaltransgression.

The militant lawmaker also assailed Palace officials insistence that the agreement only

covers the so-called pre-exploration stage and is not unconstitutional.

Theres no such thing as pre-exploration. Data and samples gathering and seismicstudies are all part of the exploration process, Ocampo said.

Ocampo, together with fellow Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino last week filed House

Resolution No. 496 seeking an inquiry to determine whether the agreement resulted in the

sellout of Philippine sovereignty in exchange of overpriced loans to fund controversialprojects.

The Bayan Muna lawmaker also wrote foreign affairs secretary Alberto Romulo today

requesting an official copy of the signed JMSU, including the maps that would showwhere the search for oil and gas was conducted, between the three countries. He also

requested for an official copy of the bilateral agreement between China and thePhilippines on the same issue.

It is imperative that the DFA be transparent on this issue that involves the countrysnational sovereignty and patrimony, he said. #


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Reasons behind the issue in Spratly Islands

The Spratly Islands which consists of more than 100 reefs, islets and islands,occupies less than five square kilometers, and spread over more than 400,000 square

kilometers of sea, located between the Philippines and Vietnam, in the area of the South

China Sea.

The Spratly Islands, regarded as part of the great sweep of archipelago ofSoutheast Asia consisting of more than 30,000 and which so complicates geography,

governance, and economics in the region. Considering the size of Spratly Islands and its

geographical location makes it less interesting. But considering these islands as territorial

markers rather than a place of habitation may be more important.

Native islanders dont occupy the place, even though abundant fishing groundssurrounds the area. Initial surveys indicate that the islands may contain oil and gas, whichmakes it a much bigger reason why the other countries are claiming it.

The Spratly Islands, a string of rocky outcrops in the South China Sea possiblyholding large oil and gas deposits, are also claimed by neighboring Brunei, Malaysia and

the Philippines; as said bythepeninsulaqatar.com.

Approximately 45 islands occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces

from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei established a fishing

zone which overlaps the southern reef, but does not directly made any formal claim. TheSpratly Islands located in the Southeastern Asian group of reefs and islands in the South

China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern

Vietnam to the southern Philippines.

Claims of the Spratly Islands proved its worth the the countries involved, owing

the history behind it as described byglobalsecurity.

Today the Spratlys are again a hot item in the Philippine news because of the2005 Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking the Philippines had with China and Vietnam,both claimants too; and because of the question whether or not this had anything to do

with the scrapped controversial ZTE national broadband network deal with China that has

been rocking the political landscape in the past months; as said byinquirer.net.

Spratly Islands Dispute (SPRATLY Case)

A. IDENTIFICATION

1. The Issue

The Philippines made their first claim in the area--which they
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Rest+of+the+World&month=February2008&file=World_News200802031114.xmlhttp://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Rest+of+the+World&month=February2008&file=World_News200802031114.xmlhttp://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Rest+of+the+World&month=February2008&file=World_News200802031114.xmlhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/spratly.htmhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/spratly.htmhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/spratly.htmhttp://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20080313-124370/Spratlys-on-my-mindhttp://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20080313-124370/Spratlys-on-my-mindhttp://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20080313-124370/Spratlys-on-my-mindhttp://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20080313-124370/Spratlys-on-my-mindhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/spratly.htmhttp://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Rest+of+the+World&month=February2008&file=World_News200802031114.xml


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refer to as the Kalayaan islands--in 1975 and has been developing

oil in the region between the Spratlys and the island of Palawan

since 1976. The Philippines real history in the region began in May

1956 when a private Philippine expedition surveyed and occupied

some of the islands. The Philippines were a trusteeship of the

Allied powers at the time and the guarantee of Allied protection

kept the Philippines from garrisoning troops on its islands.

However, as that guarantee weakened the Philippines decided to beef

up its defense. In 1976, it set up a garrison on Palawan and in

1978 it established more soldiers on seven of the islands. There

are currently about 1,000 Marines stationed on the islands. In

1979, the Philippines stated that it only wanted control of the

seven islands under its control and administration and not the rest

of the archipelago.

2. Description

Malaysia has been involved in the dispute since 1979. It currently

has control over three of the islands but claims the whole chain.

Malaysiaws case is based on the fact that the islands are part of

its continental shelf. This gives it right to the islands under theLaw of the Sea Convention. Brunei's claims to the island also rest

on the Law of the Sea. It states that the southern part of the

Spratly chain is actually a part of its continental shelf and

therefore its territory and resources.

Taiwan has maintained a garrison on the biggest of the islands

since 1956. Its claims to the island are based on its assertion

that Taiwan and its Kuomintang government are the true China. Both

Taiwan and the People's Republic of China say that the islands were

discovered by Chinese navigators, used by Chinese fishermen for

centuries, and under the administration of China since the 15th

century. Further, the Kuomintang sent a naval expedition to the

islands and took formal possession in 1946. It left a garrison on

the largest island of Itu Aba. However, since Taiwan claims to be

the true China, it believes the islands belong to it and not to the

PRC. Its main concern is that China alone or China and Vietnam will

gain control and thus, have a monopoly on the South China Sea.

China and Vietnam are the main protagonists in the dispute.

Vietnam claims to the islands--which they call the Truong Sa

islands--are part of the empire of Annam, Vietnam's ancestor, in

the l9th century. In 1815, an expedition sent by king Gia Long to

chart sea lanes occupied and settled the islands. The French, who

were Vietnamws colonial rulers, annexed the Spratlys in 1933, so

Vietnam says the islands are theirs as the inheritors of the French

possessions. In September 1973, Vietnam declared that the Spratlys

were part of the Phuoc Tuy province. It has since stated that thePhilippines are occupying part of its territory. Vietnam currently

holds three islands.

China's claims to the island are based on the same history as

Taiwan's claim. The PRC government maintains that it is the

legitimate Chinese government and that, therefore, the

islands--which they call the Nansha islands--are their territory.

They have been the most belligerent in pursuing their claim. The

dispute between China and Vietnam picked up in 1988. Chinese naval


13/22

vessels sailed into the Spratlys in January 1988 and Chinese

marines started building defenses on one of the largest

islands--the first time China has settled soldiers on the islands.

In March, fighting broke out between Vietnam and China and China

sunk two Vietnamese ships. While they have moved to more political

means of dealing with the dispute, tensions remain high in the

area. Confrontation surfaced again when China contracted with a US

firm to begin testing for oil sights, even though the territorial

issue remains far from solved. Occassional harassment of fishermen

by all sides continues as well. Each of the six countries maintain

its claim to all the islands. The protagonists have been discussing

the possibility of shelving the sovereignty issue to undertake

joint development of its resources and have sent a joint scientific

team to run tests on resource potential.

The dispute has not been taken to any official forum as of this

date. Indonesia tried to start talks among the disputants. Jakarta

believed that as a non-involved Asian country, it could be an

impartial mediator. No decisions on sovereignty were reached at the

meetings but the disputants did agree to send a scientific team to

the islands to assess their resource potential and theenvironmental condition.

3. Related Cases

SHETLAND case

MINAMATA case

DOOSAN case

BALTIC case

BLACKSEA case

MEDIT case

BOLSEA case

Keyword Clusters

(1): Forum = Philippines

(2): Bio-geography = TROPical

(3): Environmental Problem = OIL/GAS

4. Draft Author: Leigh Powell (May, 1994)

B. LEGAL Cluster

5. Discourse and Status: DISagreement and INPROGress

So far no measures have been instituted but the territorial dispute

has proven to be the most effective ban because it has prevented

exploitation of the oil and natural resources completely.

6. Forum and Scope: CHINA and REGION

7. Decision Breath: 4 (Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and

China)

8. Legal Standing: TREATY

The Law of the Sea Convention -- an international law/standard
http://www1.american.edu/ted/SHETLAND.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/MINAMAT1.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/DOOSAN.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/BALTIC.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/BLACKSEA.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/MEDIT.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/BOLSEA.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/BOLSEA.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/MEDIT.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/BLACKSEA.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/BALTIC.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/DOOSAN.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/MINAMAT1.HTMhttp://www1.american.edu/ted/SHETLAND.HTM


14/22

agreed to by the countries of the world -- is involved in the

claims of Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines. These three

countries claim that all or part of the islands are a part of their

continental shelf. According to the Law of the Sea, the countries

have legal right over the area of their continental shelf.

In 1987 China claimed that the Hainan Island--the closest

recognized Chinese territory to the islands--was a separate

province that would be developed as a special economic zone and

declared a new law on its territorial waters in 1992. These laws

gave China a greater basis for claiming control over the Spratlys

as a "contiguous zones" for territory.

C. GEOGRAPHIC Cluster

9. Geographic Locations

a. Geographic Domain : Asia

b. Geographic Site : East Asia

c. Geographic Impact : Philippines

10. Sub-National Factors: NO

11. Type of Habitat: TROPical

D. TRADE Cluster

12. Type of Measure: Regulatory Standard [REGSTD]

13. Direct vs. Indirect Impacts: INDirect

14. Relation of Measure to Environmental Impact

a. Directly Related : YES OIL/GAS

b. Indirectly Related : NO

c. Not Related : NO

d. Process Related : YES Pollution Sea [POLS]

15. Trade Product Identification: OIL

16. Economic Data

17. Impact of Measure on Trade Competitiveness: LOW

18. Industry Sector: OIL/GAS

China estimates the natural reserves to be in the billions of US

dollars to $1 trillion. US estimates are much lower given the deepwater conditions and geology of the ocean floor.

19. Exporter and Importer: PHILippines and MANY

E. ENVIRONMENT Cluster

20. Environmental Problem Type: Pollution Sea [POLS]

21. Name, Type, and Diversity of Species


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Name: Many

Type: Many

Diversity: PHILippines

22. Impact and Effect: LOW and PRODuct

23. Urgency and Lifetime: MEDIUM and 100s years

24. Substitutes: Biodegradable products

VI. OTHER Factors

25. Culture: NO

26. Trans-Border: NO

27. Rights: YES

28. Relevant Literature

Cushing, Jerry. Far Eastern Economic Review. 17 March 1988

Day, Alan J. Borders and Territorial Disputes. Gale Research

Center. Detroit. 1982.

Heinzig, Dieter, Disputed islands in the South China Sea: the

Paracels, Spratlys, and Pratas. Wiesbaden, 1976.

The Philippines' Illegal Claims in the Spratlys (SpratlyIslands)

--The Lies and the Groundless Invasion into China's Spratly Islands of South China Sea

Table of Contents

1. Area of present claims

2. Brief history of the Filipino interest in the Spratlys

3. Was the Spratlys res nullius for Tomas Cloma to claim as his private discovery?

4. Is geography a legal basis for a sovereignty claim?

5. Is security a legal basis for the Filipino claim?
http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#1http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#1http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#2http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#2http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#3http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#3http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#4http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#4http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#5http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#5http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#5http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#4http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#3http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#2http://www.spratlys.org/collection/claims/philippines/#1


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6. Conclusion

1. Area of Present Philippine Claims

The Philippines began to lay its claim over the Spratly Islands in 1970s. The Philippines claims the western section of the

"Kalayaan Isaland Group" as called by the Philippines. That encompasses 53 islands, reefs, shoals cays, rocks and atolls w

64,976 square miles. It is about 450 nautical miles from Manila and 230 nautical miles from Palawan. The Thitu Island (r

asa/Pagasa by the Philippines) is the biggest island and the Philippines occupied this island in the 1970s. Along with Thit

islands in the Spratlys occupied by the Philippines include Flat Island (Feixin Dao in Chinese, Patag as the Philippines re

Nansha Island (Mahuan Dao, Lawak), West York Island (Xiyue Dao, Likas), Lankiam Cay (Shuanghuan Shazhou, Panat

(Nanyue Dao, Kota), and Commodore Reef (Siling Jiao, Rizal Reef). [1]

2. Brief History of the Filipino Interest in the Spratlys and its Development

Out of its economic and strategic motivations, the French government made formal claims to the Spratlys in the early 1931933 the French Foreign Ministry announced the occupation of the nine islets of the Spratlys and asserted French soverei

for the first time. The French action brought immediate protests from China.[2] At that time, the Philippines was a colony

Some Filipino congressman said the nine islands should belong to the Philippines according to the Treaty of Paris. Howe

suggestion was ignored by Washington since the Spratly Islands obviously were not within the Philippine boundary as sta

Treaty Limits.

During the Second World War, Japan occupied both the Paracels (Paracel Islands) and Spratlys in 1939 shortly after they

Hainan Island. The Japanese used Itu Aba Island (Taiping Dao) as a submarine base and a springboard for its invasion of

At the end of the Pacific War in 1945, the Japanese forces on the South China Sea surrendered to the representatives of C

The newly established Philippine government Foreign Minister Qurino advocated on 23 July 1946 that the new Southern

used by the Japanese for all the islands in the South China Sea) should be given to his country. This was the first indicatio

in the Spratly Islands from the Philippines government.

In April 1949 , the Philippines sent its navy to explore the Spratlys. An article published in Manila Bulletin on May 15 19

Philippine government should occupy the Spratly Islands together with the United States because it was closer to Palawa

China and Vietnam. On May 17, the Philippine President Quirino said that if the Chinese Kuomingtang (Nationalist Party

occupied the Spratlys, then Philippine didn't need to occupy them. However, if the islands fell into the communist enemy

Philippine security is threatened. So he created this theory that the Spratlys should belong to the nearest country accordin

law. and the Philippines is the nearest.

In 1956 Tomas Cloma together with his brothers and 40 crew explored the Spratlys and claimed to have "discovered" and

islands and reefs of the Spratlys. They proclaimed "formal ownership" over them and renamed these islands and reefs the

(Freedomland) Island Group.

The Philippine act was immediately met with protests from PRC, Taiwan, Saigon as well as France. The PRC denounced

alleged "discovery" as totally groundless. Manila responded to Taipei and Saigon that it had no claims on the Spratlys [1Taiwan sent troops to the Islands to patrol the Spratly Islands and stationed on Itu Aba Island to prevent further such alle

In early July 1971, the Philippine government alleged that the Taiwanese troops on the Itu Aba Island "fired on a boat car

Philippine congressman". After this the Philippine government announced on July 10 1971 that "it had sent a diplomatic

asking that the Chinese garrison be withdrawn from Itua Aba". Manila stated that 53 islands and reefs once occupied by T

should belong to the Philippines, because the area was terra nullius at the time of its occupation and was "acquired acco

modes of acquisition recognized under international law, among which are occupation and effective administration". [3] M
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Philippines sent its navy to occupy Thitu Island and Nanshan Island.

In April 1972, the Philippines government incorporated the "Kalayaan" group into Palawan Province as a municipality.

In February 1974, the Philippines government stated that the Philippines forces had occupied five islets of the Spratlys. T

government justified its occupation of the Spratly Islands as "the strategic importance of the Kalayaan area to the Philipp

By 1978 the Philippines had occupied two more islands, and later the Philippines further occupied Sil ing Jiao (Commodo

they occupied Liyue Tan (Reed Bank). On June 11, 1978, Filipino president Marcos signed a Presidential Decree 1596 w

Kalayaan group. The 1978 decree omitted Spratly Island and include Amboyna Cay which was not claimed by Cloma. It

"some countries claimed some parts of this area but they had given up and thus the claims are not valid anymore..." [4]

On July 17, 1978, a Presidential Decree 1599 was issued, proclaiming that the Kalayaan Group was within Philippine EE

Economic Zone).

3. Was the Spratlys res nullius before any Filipino claims?

The Philippines base their claims of sovereignty over the Spratlys on the issues ofres nullius. The definition ofres nulliu

which has no ownerorA thing which has been abandoned by its owner is as much res nullius as if it had never belonged

Japan unconditionallysurrenderedin 1945 after their defeat in the World War II. Towards the end of 1946, the Chinese g

naval task force consisting of four warships to the Spratlys and Paracels to execute demonstrative possessor acts on the sp

force sailed from Guangdong (Canton) on December 9, 1946. The two war ships Taiping and Zhongye set course for the

after 3 days' sailing, they reached Itu Aba Island, the principal island of the Spratlys on the morning of December 12, 194

immediately sent telegraphs to Nanjing to report on their arrival and later stationed on the Itu Aba Island. The Itu Aba Isl

surveyed. The task force also reached and surveyed other Spratly Islands including Nanyue Island, Thitu Island, North D

The symbols of Japanese sovereignty were removed and a Sovereignty Stone Marker was placed on the Itu Aba Island. T

take-over ceremony.

In December 1947 Territorial Administration Section of Ministry of Internal Affairs published a list of South China Sea I

anda Map of South China Sea Islands. The Itu Aba Island is renamed to Taiping Island, the Thitu Island is renamed to Z

the commanders name of the task force is also used as a name of a Sand Cay (Dunqian Shazhou).

So has China ever abandoned her ownership over the Spratlys? No. The Chinese government has never relinquished its c

islands. After the "Kingdom of Humantiy and Republic of Songhrati-Morac-Meads" issue Taiwan has restored the garris

Island and the navy has frequently patrolled the Spratlys.

Just like what is expressed in Taipei's response to the Philippines: The world has been on notice for years and years that C

garrison on the Islands. It is childishly naive to entertain any notion that Cloma and associates' claim to "right of discover

the legal basis for Philippine government's claiming and the actions as announced by President Marcos. The pursuit of an

official claim to the Spratly Islands should be held to be a violation of international law and a provocation to China.[1, p7

4. Is Geography Proximity a legal Basis for Philippine's claim in the Spratlys?

There is no international law saying geographical proximity can be used here to justify its claims in the Kalayaan Island G

the proximity basis, many isolated islands in Sulu Sea are much closer to Borneo than to the Philippines, should the Phili

islands to Malaysia or Brunei?

5. Is National Security a legal basis for the Filipino Claim?

If Philippines national security can serve as a legal basis for its claim in the Spratly Islands. Does that mean the Philippin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Res_nulliushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Res_nulliushttp://www.taiwandocuments.org/surrender01.htmhttp://www.taiwandocuments.org/surrender01.htmhttp://www.taiwandocuments.org/surrender01.htmhttp://www.nansha.org.cn/islandsdatabase/4/1947_South_China_Sea_Islands_Map.jpghttp://www.nansha.org.cn/islandsdatabase/4/1947_South_China_Sea_Islands_Map.jpghttp://www.nansha.org.cn/islandsdatabase/4/1947_South_China_Sea_Islands_Map.jpghttp://www.nansha.org.cn/islandsdatabase/4/1947_South_China_Sea_Islands_Map.jpghttp://www.taiwandocuments.org/surrender01.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Res_nullius


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invade any other nation's sovereign land if they feel that they are not secure?

6. Conclusion

The Philippine's claims in the Spratly Islands, is not legal, although the Philippines try to base their claims on different b

was not res nullius, and the Philippines' claims based on geographic proximity and national security are illegal.

[1]Hsiao Chi-Ching, The Nanshas (Spratlys) Disputes, 1999, p19

[2] Ji Guoxing, The Spratlys Disputes and Prospects for Settlement, ISIS Issue Paper, 1992, p7

[3] A James Gregor, "In the Shadow of Giants, the Major Powers and Security of Southeast Asia", p91-92, Hoover Instit

University, 1989.

[4] Alileen S.P. Baviera edited, The South China Sea Disputes: Philippine Perspectives, Philippine China Development R

and Philippine Association for Chinese Studies, Manila, 1992.

[5] Chen Hurng Yu, The South China Sea Islands' Sovereignty and International Conflicts, p89, You Shi Culture Enterpr

1987

Background:

The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded

by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their

entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and thePhilippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces

from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a

fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim.

Location:

Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way

from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

8 38 N, 111 55 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:total: less than 5 sq km

country comparison to the world:245land: less than 5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000sq km of the central South China Sea

Area - comparative:
http://www.nansha.org.cn/books/2/The_Nanshas_Spratlys_Disputes.htmlhttp://www.nansha.org.cn/books/2/The_Nanshas_Spratlys_Disputes.htmlhttp://www.nansha.org.cn/books/2/The_Nanshas_Spratlys_Disputes.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas#2028https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas#2028https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas#2144https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas#2144https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas#2011https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas#2011https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas#2145https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas#2145https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/graphics/ref_maps/pdf/southeast_asia.pdfhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/graphics/ref_maps/pdf/southeast_asia.pdfhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas#2147https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas#2147https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2147rank.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas&rank=245#pghttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2147rank.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&regionCode=eas&rank=245#pghttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html?countryName=Spratly%20Islands&countryCode=pg&am

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