Spratly and Paracel Islands
Topic: World Physical Features and Natural Regions · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Spratly and Paracel Islands are groups of small islands, reefs and shoals in the South China Sea. Shoals are shallow sandbanks in the sea. Several countries claim them because they control sea lanes, fishing grounds and possible oil and gas. China, Taiwan and Vietnam claim all the Spratlys. The Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei claim parts of them. China has held the Paracels since 1974, and Vietnam and Taiwan also claim them. China has built artificial islands on some reefs.
Example
In July 2016, an arbitral tribunal under UNCLOS (the UN law of the sea) ruled in Philippines v. China and rejected China's "nine-dash line" claim. China does not accept the ruling. Clashes still happen at Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal.
Don't confuse with
- Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands: these are disputed between Japan and China, and lie in the East China Sea, not the South China Sea.