Spratly Islands: photo, history, belonging, recreation. Battle of the Spratly Islands (1988)

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

The Spratly Islands are a small archipelago in the South China Sea. They have long been a point of contention between several states trying to assume control for a long time. The most beautiful places in the world have become the point of hostilities, irreconcilable disputes between several states.

Geolocation

There are more than 400 different rocks, reefs and other formations in the South China Sea, of which about 200 are part of the Spratly archipelago. All these islands are originally of coral origin. They are low and small. The height above sea level is no more than 6 meters. Once these island formations were called the Coral Islands.

The Spartly Islands are located in the South China Sea. This sea is a semi-enclosed space of the Pacific Ocean basin, located between the coasts of Asia, the Indochinese Peninsula and Malacca, near the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Palawan, Mindoro and Taiwan. The South China Sea is rich in islands. Nearby are several routes of the world's largest supertankers. According to scientific data, large reserves of oil and gas are concentrated in this area. It was the sea that was originally a strategic object, because its waters wash the shores of six large states.

Origin of the islands

Most of the islands in the archipelago are tide-flooded shoals, reefs, rocky cliffs, unsuitable for human habitation, as well as a serious problem for ships. But in terms of strategic and political, these small islands are of great importance on a global level. After all, their possession allows the state-owner to claim not only the islands themselves, but also the adjacent water space, including resources. Until the end of the 70s of the last century, there was no interest in lifeless rocky reefs and islands.

The area of the Spratly Islands is an area of about 180 thousand square kilometers. With such an area, the land area itself is only a little over 10 square meters. kilometers, including formations temporarily appearing above the sea surface. The Spratly Islands are located, the photos of which are presented in the article, 500 kilometers south of the Paracel archipelago. Their number is not constant, it all depends on weather conditions and periods of low tides. All formations are scattered in the sea in the form of an arc almost 1 thousand kilometers long.

Their remoteness from the "mainland":

Kalimantan – 30 km.
Palawan - 60 km.
Vietnamese seaport Cam Ranh - 460 km.
Chinese Hainan Island – 970km.

History Pages

The history of the Spratly Islands is as follows:

Back in 59 AD, the first mention by Chinese historians of the islands, which then became known to the geographers of the Han Dynasty, was officially made.
It wasn't until 1211 that the archipelago was first recorded on a map of China.
In 1405, the famous Chinese navigator Zheng He reached and visited a number of islands.
In 1478, a ship carrying porcelain ware was wrecked on the reefs of the archipelago.
In 1530, the navigator Alvarez De Diegos was sent by Albuquerca in search of the Chinese route. At the same time, he visits the western islands of the archipelago.
In this water area in 1606, the Spaniard Andreas de Pessora calls the island he discovered - Santa Esmeralda Pecuena. It was one of the atolls of the Spratly archipelago.
In the 17th century, in the "Map of Routes to the Southern Lands", Do Wa mentions the Spratly Islands, called the "Yellow Sands", which belonged to the Chinese province of Quangigai. After that, the ruling Nguyen dynasty begins to send 18 ships to the shores of the islands every year.
Based on Chinese historical notes, data dated 1710 is presented on the announcement of Spratly Island as a Chinese possession. At the same time, a small East Cay temple is being built on North Island.
In 1714, three Dutch ships are wrecked off the coast of the Spratly. The team is rescued by Vietnamese fishermen. The Dutch are presented to the emperor and then sent home.
Nguyen Dynasty Emperor approves "Hoang Sha Company" to use the islandswaters of the South China Sea. Participating ships can visit all islands 6 times a year.
From 1730 to 1735, pirates use the Spratly Islands as a base for attacks on passing Dutch, English and Portuguese ships. In 1735, the British destroy pirate nests in the archipelago.
From 1758 to 1768, French admiral Charles Hector Theoda visits Vietnam to use the Spratly archipelago for mooring his ships. At the same time, he notices the presence of European-cast cannons taken from ships that were wrecked off the coast of the archipelago.
The historian Le Qui Don in 1784 gives a new description of the Coral Islands.

In 1786, Generalissimo Tai Son gives the order to start searching the islands for gold, silver and cannons from sunken ships, as well as harvesting rare fish and turtle shells. 4 ships have been allocated for this.
In 1791, British Captain Henry Spratly discovers several island formations. To them he gives his name officially.
In 1798, on one of the islands of the Spratly archipelago, the British set up an observation tower. Its ruins are still preserved.
In 1816, Emperor Gia Long officially proclaims Vietnam's sovereignty and dominion over the Spratly Islands.
In the period from 1835 to 1847, references to the Paracel Islands and the Spratly Islands are found many times in the documents of the Vietnamese rulers. However, there is no evidence that the islands belong to China.
In 1847, the emperor of China issues a decree on the departure of warships to the Spratly lands to explore the territory.
In 1848, the ruling Vietnamese king Nam Ha forms a small military garrison to control the work of foreign fleets on the islands.
French historian Dubois de Jansigny in 1850 attests to the rule of the King of Vietnam in the islands.
In "Outline of the History of Vietnam" Nguyen Trong in 1876 mentions the islands as belonging to the lands of the kingdom.
The French build a lighthouse on Amboyna Island in 1887.
Off the coast of the archipelago in 1895, two ships with a cargo of copper are wrecked. The cargo is searched for and taken away by the inhabitants of Hainan Island. Britain sends a note of protest to the leadership of China. However, this is answered that the area where the crash occurred does not belong to China, and the Chinese government is not responsible for what is happening on the Spratly Islands.
In 1898, when the Spanish-American Treaty was signed, the official borders of the Philippines were specified, while the territory of the Spratly was not included.
In 1901, Japan forcibly seized the island of Dongsha, and in 1908 sold it to China.
In 1906, the "Guide to the Geography of China" was published, where the country's borders were clearly defined. The Spratly Islands are not included.
In June 1909, the governor of the Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi sent military gunboats to the islands to capture.
A French expedition in 1925 confirms that the Paracel Islands are part of the state of Vietnam.
French on "DeLanessan go to the shores of the Spratly archipelago to study atolls and phosphate reserves.
In 1930, by order of the Governor-General of Indochina, the Spratly Islands were proclaimed French territory.
In 1933, there is a military occupation of a number of islands in the South China Sea, including the Spratly.
In December 1933, the Spratly archipelago was included in the province of Cochin (China). Spratly Island is named Nansha.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan in March 1939 declares the Spratly Islands as Japanese territory. In April, France protests, laying claim to the land.
In 1945, Japan renounces its claim to the Spratly. And Chinese troops are landing in the archipelago under the pretext of disarming Japanese soldiers.
In 1947, an official protest was made by France to the Chinese government about the illegal seizure of the Spratly Islands. But already in December, a decree was issued on assigning the Chinese names Xisha and Nansha, respectively, to the archipelagos of the Paracel and Spratly island groups. They are all included in China.
In 1950, Chinese government troops leave the islands, hiding in Taiwan.

The Philippine government claims ownership of the islands in 1951. China protests. The Vietnamese government of Bao Dai claims its dominance. At the same time, Japan completely abandoned its claims.
In 1956 there were political and military clashes between the Philippines, China, Vietnam. France informs about itslegal rights to the Spratly Island.
Six countries until 1974 were in dispute over ownership of the archipelago. Different islands went to different states.
In January 1974, the first bombardment of some of the islands by China was carried out. The Vietnamese government turned to the UN for help. Then the Vietnamese Foreign Minister turned to the United States for help.
Until 1988, there were minimal clashes over the division of the territory of the islands in the waters of the South China Sea. Brunei joined the controversy in 1984.
In 1988 there was an armed conflict. The Battle of the Spratly Islands took place between the military of the People's Republic of China and Vietnam in the Johnson Reef area of the Spratly Islands group. At the same time, 70 Vietnamese sailors died. The battle of the Spratly Islands in 1988 was the bloodiest battle of the entire period of disputes and claims. The number of dead Chinese soldiers has not been established.

Until 1996 there were bloodless seizures of land. In January 1996, there was an artillery battle between Philippine and Chinese warships.
Until now, territorial disputes have not subsided, but have moved into a peaceful direction.

Spratly controversy

Territorial disputes, the center of which was the Spratly Island, its belonging to any state, were based on various reasons, the main ones of which are:

Geopolitical motives.
Control over transport routes.
Presence in this region.
Expanding borders and economic zones.
Masteringall natural resources of the region.

At the same time, not a single state that claims to have them plans to make a voluntary complete waiver of the right to Spratly. However, a new state has emerged, claiming its interests in relation to the archipelago.

This is the USA, the country's interest is oil. All islands are recognized as promising for hydrocarbons.

Control over the islands

At the moment, a difficult situation has developed in the South China Sea. The alignment of forces and belongings of a number of the Spratly Islands is as follows:

China controls 9 atolls in the archipelago.
Vietnam garrisons stationed on 21 islands.
Philippines represent themselves on 8 islands.
Malaysia controls 3 islets.
Taiwan troops are stationed on the largest island of Taipingdao.
The rest of the islands remain free (relatively).

Enforcement of the "Law of the Sea"

Now only the "Law of the Sea" is able to determine the position of the islands. Now it is "effective occupation". That is, according to the law, no state in the world has the right to claim the economic zone of territorial waters or seize the adjacent shelf. This is possible only with the settlement of the islands and the conduct of economic activities on them. But most of these islands are so small or periodically flooded that there can be no question of their settlement.

Confrontation Settlement

That's why in 1994 there weresteps have been taken towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict. A resolution was adopted to ratify the UN Convention. Vietnam and China came to an unspoken consensus, deciding to postpone the answers to questions about the sovereignty of the Spratly Islands for 50 years. It was decided to jointly develop natural resources on a bilateral basis.

Construction of artificial islands

However, since 2002 official Beijing has stepped up its efforts to develop the shelf. Work began on the construction of artificial islands. These are trump cards in the conflict with other states. After all, by populating these islands, China will gain power over them.

Artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago - a paradise for tourists. But for the time being, only the military inhabit them. China is slowly expanding the territory of "its" islands in the South China Sea. These formations will be able to withstand any buildings and structures. China is unnerving the US by playing God, building islands, turning rocky atolls into beautiful islands with white sand beaches and green spaces. On one of the former reefs, a runway and a greenhouse have been built. There are already 4 airfields on artificial islands.

In addition to political goals, China pursues economic interests in the construction of the islands. The creation of artificial islands will allow China to make exclusive claims to territorial waters within 200 miles. The United States has been declaring the non-recognition of China's artificial islands in the South China Sea since 2012, but nono forceful measures.

Now, with the help of artificial increase in land, China has been able to expand its possessions by 1.5 square kilometers. The increase in the area of the islands will allow, over time, to attach neighboring reefs, atolls and islands.

When looking at the results of China's work, one gets the feeling that the Spratly Islands can provide a vacation for tourists full of bliss. If the construction of the islands reaches its climax, if all the infrastructure necessary for a comfortable stay appears, then the Spratly will become the "Mecca" of world tourism. In addition, the climatic conditions and geographic location of the islands meet all the criteria for a place for a good holiday.