Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

data for: South China Sea Islands

text/National Defense University professor, Xu Yan, General

China struggle to maintain interest in the South China Sea, is a matter of national feelings of the sensitive issues, but also involves the formation of a long history complex international relations. In recent years, some domestic people who are not familiar with this history question about the South China Sea, claimed before the 1970s, where there is no dispute on sovereignty, contributing to a number of extreme emotions. In fact, the South China Sea reefs and sea ownership dispute has been going on for nearly a century, recognizing that the local formation of the complex situation with many historical reasons, in order to properly understand our government’s current approach taken by, and rights struggle to a rational attitude towards maximization of national interests.

modern China’s national long-term weakness caused by foreign occupation of the South China Sea islands

south of Hainan Island in China and extend thousands of kilometers of sea, sand with the East , Xisha, Nansha sand and four Islands, a total of islands, reefs, sand, beach 200. Area where the islands are small, the largest Yongxing Island, Xisha only 1.8 square kilometers, the largest of the Pacific island of Nansha, but 0.45 square kilometers. No fresh water on the island since the majority of the past no permanent residents. However, in accordance with international law of the sea, the sovereignty of islands and reefs can have legitimate control over their resources in the surrounding waters, islands and reefs of the dispute now is the development of marine resources in real terms the right to dispute.

Dongsha, Xisha, Nansha and Saudi Arabia and the four islands are Chinese territory, in the modern has a sufficient legal basis. As the old China, the country was weakened on its territory has been declared a long-term inability to control many of the reefs, France, Japan, from the 20th century began seizing the action, leaving a long-standing dispute was caused by the seeds.

neighboring countries in the South China Sea, China has declared sovereignty on the sea islands, the first time. The beginning of the 20th century, today’s Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, respectively, of the British, American and French colonies, only the Chinese can be considered a sovereign state. In 1909, the Qing court sent Guangdong precision warship Admiral Lee to visit the Xisha Islands, the island rises in Yongxing Dragon flag and Gun, and Xisha, Dongsha, Nansha Islands have been measured and three visits. The Chinese government according to the mapping of the chart, published in 1912, “Republic of China coast and the border area zoning map” drawn up in the South China Sea boundary line, declaring the South China Sea islands are Chinese territory.

the civil war between the Republic of endless war, lack of naval power, and thus long-term is difficult to effectively control the South China Sea islands, the colonists will be able to take advantage of a foreign invasion. French occupation of Vietnam in 1885 completely, then it will be the eastern sea Xisha, Nansha Islands had coveted the heart. Japan occupied Taiwan since 1895, in order to implement its “southward strategy” also sent the so-called merchants, explorers into the Dongsha, Xisha into the data. 1930 to 1933, the French occupied the Nansha larger South Island, Pacific Island, in the industry, Island, West Island and other islands on the expulsion of the Chinese island of fishermen, and announced the “merger” to the Annan (the former name of Vietnam ) of the Ba province, become a cause of protest to France to negotiate China’s “Nine island incident.”

Republic of China in the face of the French invasion of the South China Sea islands, the lack of naval power in the South China Sea territory when the calibration against a detailed map, published in April 1935 the “South China Sea islands map” to determine the most South China Sea South of the border at latitude 4 degrees, and the mother had marked on the beach within the boundaries of the country. This calibration, first appeared on the map of China’s South China Sea territory line, which is later “nine out of line” and the South China Sea today, intermittent U-shaped line on the map prototype.

called “weak state has no diplomatic”, this time the French Republic does not ignore the protests. 1940, Japan sent troops to control the French Indochina, which was then occupied the main islands in the South China Sea as a military base. After Japan surrendered in 1945, French troops return to Vietnam to restore colonial rule, want control of these islands. In October 1946, contained in the French warships landed troops occupied the South Island, Nansha, Xisha coral islands, and the erection of stone island in the Pacific. Then just under the rule of independence from the United States Philippines also sent a number of islands in the Spratly Islands in eastern landing, its foreign minister Quirino also in the same year on July 23 claimed, will Palawan within 200 nautical miles west of the islands (ie Nansha Islands and the eastern islands) “within the scope of consolidation in the defense.”

face method, the invasion of the Philippine islands of the South China Sea, when the Chinese National Government considers it necessary rights. November 1946, the Republic of the Navy school “Wing Hing”, “medium build” two ships arrived in the main island of the Xisha Yongxing Island received 12 months replaced the “peace” and the “industry” two ships arrived in the Nansha Islands in the main the island. To commemorate the “peace” ship of the receiver, the largest island of Nansha submitted “peace” name. At that time the establishment of the Nansha Islands Pacific island management, owned by the Guangdong provincial government jurisdiction, and even leaving a garrison. Other islands of French troops in the South China Sea, the Kuomintang government was busy civil war and lack of strength, not to take deportation action, this form should belong to the South China Sea islands have long been the situation of several countries are controlled.

Nansha, Xisha People’s Liberation Army to seize the opportunity to regain the country’s share of the island was more

founding of New China, to continue to declare sovereignty over the South China Sea islands. In April 1950 the PLA liberated Hainan Island, the KMT will also be a island in peace with the withdrawal of Taiwan. At this point the PLA Navy South Sea Fleet has not established the direction of the external sea islands temporarily out of control. United States from the “containment” policy of New China, starting in some countries deliberately encourage infringement of China’s maritime rights and interests. September 1951, the United States, Britain and other countries excluded from the Chinese government representatives in the case, and will be held in San Francisco, with the Japanese government signed a one-sided peace treaty, which only give the South China Sea islands that Japan, Taiwan, but deliberately not talk about it returned to China. It can be said, the South China Sea, the Diaoyu Islands dispute and the “Taiwan independence” seed, largely planted by the United States at this time of.

meeting in San Francisco and French support of the Vietnam Bao Dai (the last generation of Vietnamese emperor) puppet government of Prime Minister has made the island of the South China Sea territorial claims, and obviously the United States condoned. 1954 end of the Indochina signed the Geneva Agreement, the withdrawal of French troops in Vietnam to 17 degrees north latitude line of demarcation into two central government. US-backed South Vietnam government (that is, Bao Dai regime in the follow-up) on May 26, 1956 claimed all the Xisha Islands, Nansha Islands have sovereignty, but after the withdrawal of troops in the French army occupied the Xisha and Nansha islands in the part of Oasis the island.

control of latitude 17 degrees north of the territory of Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam, from 1956 onwards the Xisha and Nansha Islands on many occasions that China’s territory, and published in their clearly marked on the map. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Van Dong in 1958, sent a letter to Premier Zhou Enlai, also affirm this. After the liberation of South Vietnam in 1975, Vietnamese leaders have claimed that China had done only for expedient assistance, this attitude is shown by the narrow concept of national self-interest driven by the typical pragmatism.

the establishment of new China have a strong army, played the national prestige and military might on land. Unfortunately, as the crystallization of high-tech air force and navy long-term weakness of the PLA, which is the year of China’s economic and technological backwardness historical limitations. Far away from mainland China in the South China Sea, activism, precisely because of the lack of naval power and air cover while the weak are severely constrained. Despite the difficulties, March 1959, the PLA Navy in the South China Sea, or just set up to send a frigate and a submarine hunting patrol went to Sha, carrying troops and the largest island of the Xisha Yongxing Island Paradise with the Xisha Islands The formation of long-term military confrontation in South Vietnam.

1961 in the United States in South Vietnam launched the “special war”, the naval fleet of the most effective control of the South China Sea. At that time South Vietnam’s military regime has been in U.S. military support of the South China Sea, the Philippines is also protected by the U.S. military occupied the island of the east and the Nansha Islands. We can say that large-scale war the U.S. military the Vietnam War, but also to its allies, the legendary South China Sea islands occupied a chance.

since 1969, the United States in Vietnam began to shrink in 1970, Mao instructed to have the opportunity to properly entrenched in the South Vietnam puppet off the Xisha Islands. U.S. withdrawal from South Vietnam in early 1973, and in the strategic situation to take “anti-Soviet Union”, the South China Sea islands dispute which was not involved in the strength of the attitude of the Chinese actions in the Spratly Islands have a favorable strategic opportunities. At the time, China’s main military confrontation with the Soviet Union, but still the weakest strength of the navy in the South China Sea Fleet in January 1974 was Xisha sea. Chinese naval construction at the moment as a small investment, technological backwardness, against South Vietnam, the world’s third-Navy also needs to “hit the boat big ship”, relying on bravery made a naval victory. Landing along the PLA recovered Oasis, gold and silver, coral islands, complete control of the Paracel Islands.

1975 In March, the Vietnamese People’s Army, the main south, occupied Saigon in April, and was originally occupied by the army in South Vietnam Nansha six island landing, summon somebody to surrender the garrison and the local implementation of the occupation. In this short process, China has failed to respond to miss an important opportunity. Immediately after the reunification of Vietnam, declared that “sand islands”, “Changsha Islands” (that is, China’s Xisha, Nansha Islands are called) have sovereignty, this perfidious action had severely damaged the friendly relations between China and Vietnam. Democratic Republic of Vietnam claim sovereignty over the South China Sea islands, in addition to citing the French had occupied the local outside that lay claim to the South Vietnam regime, the “legal successor” rights. In fact, in accordance with international law, independent of the colonial state’s fundamental right to inherit the original invasion of a sovereign state heritage. Democratic Republic of Vietnam, then the statement has been said Bao Dai regime, the regime in South Vietnam sessions are “can not represent the Vietnamese puppet regime”, on their own are denied their legitimate “puppet regime” of how things can legally inherit it?

Vietnam after the reunification, also the Soviet Navy to provide the South China Sea west of the Cam Ranh Bay as a base, adds to the complexity of the dispute in the region. In 1963, Malaysia’s independence from British rule after the founding, is also eyeing the South China Sea resources, from 1978 onwards into account the projectile reef, reef and light Sing the South China Sea reef. Mother who had the most proven oil reserves, the basin is rich in Malaysia has become the exploitation of oil in the area, access to resources of the earliest and most countries. Subsequently, Brunei is also illegal control of the 3,000 square kilometers of traditional Chinese waters, and claimed the southwestern tip of the Nansha Islands Nantong Reef sovereignty.

face when several countries are occupied by the Nansha Islands, China have not been able to take military action, it is important because there are one thousand kilometers away from Hainan Island, also above, then the PLA fighter combat radius, but as far as 400 km, Da Xisha enough time to empty, it is beyond the reach of the Nansha Islands. People’s Liberation Army Navy is also a lack of large vessels to voyage, while the Navy by the power constraints, it is difficult to Nansha Islands to take action. But the Chinese government has issued a statement and protests or affirming the sovereignty of the Spratly Islands, which was later laid a strong legal rights and when the basis of public opinion.

Nansha People’s Liberation Army and then grab the opportunity now to stand to form a “Five six” stars

in the modern international struggle, a large extent the success of the military struggle on the subject of world strategic pattern. In 1988 the Chinese navy into the Nansha, just an international environment but also to seize the favorable opportunity. Normalization of Sino-Soviet relations were to the United States are strategic for China, the two superpowers will not interfere in China’s naval operations in the South China Sea. At the moment the PLA naval air defense capability is still very poor, only a frigate equipped with ship-to-air missiles, it is difficult to effectively resist a large number of aircraft struck, but still go to the Nansha reefs set point (this point has been the islands Nansha Islands occupied by all other countries).

1988 年 1 31, the Chinese naval fleet sailed Nansha sent to board the first permanent Department reef flag, and begin to establish “tall house” type of residence, and subsequently sent to board China Yang Reef, Red Reef. Vietnam Navy discovered, sending ships on March 14, driven attempt to reach China Red Reef staff and first shot, causing the Chinese to fight back. The small-scale naval victory, the Chinese side to six reefs in the Spratly Islands to complete the set point, made a major strategic victory.

PLA set point in the Nansha Islands, has the military presence, the language of diplomatic protest over into real action since, in the dispute but also have a really powerful voice. Since that date, the South China Sea Dongsha Islands, the main island of Taiwan authorities still controlled entirely by the People’s Liberation Army controlled the Xisha Islands, in the Department of underwater reefs by sand islands also uninhabited, Nansha Islands and the sea has remained in the five countries were six (China, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and China Taiwan), respectively, and claimed control of the complexity of the situation.

1989 years later, China’s international environment presents complex, China and Vietnam the following year to achieve a normalization of relations, both sides agree on the South China Sea disputes resolved through peaceful negotiations, the South China Sea neighboring countries did not happen again military conflict. November 2002, China and ASEAN signed the “Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea”, on the peaceful settlement of disputes, to carry out cooperation in the South China Sea to reach a consensus. The Declaration acknowledges: “The emphasis through friendly consultations and negotiations, the South China Sea by peaceful means to resolve the dispute.” But how to implement this declaration there are still many problems, the Nansha Islands’ first invasion of the Philippines, Vietnam, most share (a total of 29 reefs ), Malaysia’s share of the fat, “the history of the formation of the situation is maintained has not broken.

into the 21st century, China’s economic development has brought great financial resources and technology greatly enhanced the level of the new water’s new destroyers, frigates and submarines, the Navy began to have a sea combat capability, the biggest weakness is the lack of past problems due to new air cover fighters, fighter-bombers and tanker loading the column to be resolved. Of course, China is opposed to the use of force or threat of force to resolve territorial disputes, to maintain national interests but not without force. Looking back at history we can see that after the establishment of New China, from activism in the South China Sea has been active in the past simply because there have been too weak sea and air forces “beyond their grasp” the situation. Today, China’s military has been far from the former than the national, but world peace and development has become the main theme, to change the territorial status quo by force has been difficult to internationally accepted. United States, Japan, India restricted the rise of China, are actively intervene in the South China Sea dispute, resulting in the waters of contradiction is more complicated.

Deng Xiaoping’s famous saying ─ ─ “development is the last word.” China on the issue over the South China Sea in which the passive situation, the final analysis, caused by the country’s development lagged behind. China’s rapid development in recent years, the last battle in the Nansha Islands in the military forces “out of reach” gradually overcome the difficulties, sea oil drilling problems are gradually solved, time can be more favorable to China. With the strong ability of rights, China’s South China Sea in the next step in the development and rights to restore the past may lose some of the historic opportunity. Of course, in a complex international environment, a comprehensive solution to the South China Sea disputes also need to have great wisdom, people understand the evolution of the South China Sea dispute, but also provide important reference for this information. (Source: Study Times)

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