Editing Paracel Islands (section)

==== 20th-century events ====
*In the 1910-20s, the French Ministry of Colonies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed that the Paracel Islands were under Chinese sovereignty, and that France should not try to claim them, either on behalf of itself, or Annam. Therefore, France did not protest in 1921 when the government of Guangdong province declared the Paracels to be under the administration of Hainan Island. 5 years later in 1926, France refused an application from a French company to exploit guano in the Paracels. It also refused a similar application from a Japanese company.{{sfn|Tonnesson|2006}}
* In 1932, France nonetheless formally claimed both the Paracel and Spratly Islands.  China and Japan both protested.  On 6 April 1933, France occupied the Spratlys, announced their annexation, formally included them in French Indochina, and built a couple of weather stations on them.{{sfn|Tonnesson|2006}}<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Binoche |first=Jacques |date=1990 |title=La politique extrême-orientale française et les relations franco-japonaises de 1919 à 1939 |url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/sfhom_1768-7144_1990_ant_10_1_1002 |journal=Publications de la Société française d'histoire des outre-mers |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=263–275}}</ref>
* On 3 July 1938,<ref name=":3" /> French Indochinese colonial troops, headed by sub-lieutenant Edmond Grethen,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-19 |title=Un Thionvillois au Mont Valérien |url=https://www.thionville.fr/fr/actualite/un-thionvillois-au-mont-val-rien |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=www.thionville.fr |language=fr}}</ref> occupy the Paracels islands in turn.
* In March 1939<ref name=":3" /> Japan took the islands from France, garrisoned them, and built a submarine base at [[Itu Aba]] (now Taiping / 太平) Island. In 1941, the Japanese Empire made the Paracel and Spratly islands part of Taiwan, then under its rule.{{sfn|Tonnesson|2006}}
* After World War II, Nationalist China reaffirmed its sovereignty over the islands in the [[South China Sea]], and dispatched a patrol force to the islands, but this was challenged by the French.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}}
* After the fall of the [[Kuomintang|nationalist regime]] in China in 1949, the PRC gained control of the eastern half of the Paracel islands. Several small clashes occurred between the French and the communist Chinese naval forces during this period, but eventually a de facto line of control was established with the PRC occupying Woody Island, while the remainder was held by Franco -Vietnamese forces.
* In 1951, at the international [[Treaty of San Francisco]] conference, Vietnam's representative claimed that both the Paracels and Spratlys are territories of Vietnam, and was met with no challenge from all nations at the event.<ref name=Chang1991416 /> However, neither the PRC nor the ROC participated in the conference. Separately, the ROC negotiated and signed its own treaty with Japan regarding the islands on April 29, 1952.{{sfn|Tonnesson|2006}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://treaties.un.org/doc/publication/unts/volume%20136/volume-136-i-1832-english.pdf|title=No. 1832. TREATY 1 OF PEACE WITH JAPAN. SIGNED AT SAN FRANCISCO, ON 8 SEPTEMBER 1951|date=September 8, 1951|access-date=July 15, 2022}}</ref>
* In 1954, according to the [[Geneva Agreements]], which were signed by a number of nations including the PRC,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/21/newsid_3894000/3894175.stm 1954: Peace deal ends Indo-China war] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120185805/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/21/newsid_3894000/3894175.stm |date=January 20, 2013 }}, BBC News. Retrieved on 4-23-2009.</ref><ref>Robert B. Asprey, [https://books.google.com/books?id=rlp5Q69nClMC&dq=The+agreements+were+signed+by+France,+China,+the+Soviet+Union,+Great+Britain,+Cambodia,+Laos,+and+the+Vietminh.&pg=PA595 War in the Shadows] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101102529/https://books.google.com/books?id=rlp5Q69nClMC&pg=PA595&lpg=PA595&dq=The+agreements+were+signed+by+France,+China,+the+Soviet+Union,+Great+Britain,+Cambodia,+Laos,+and+the+Vietminh.&source=bl&ots=Ri0pSgapWF&sig=zTLOt6f9pQjLlNffeVkqaMMRjv8&hl=en&ei=qVXxSZK9EpWatAOQq9DcCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2 |date=January 1, 2016 }}, IUniverse, 2002. {{ISBN|0-595-22594-2}}. Retrieved on 4-23-2009.</ref> Vietnam was partitioned into two states, [[North Vietnam]] and [[South Vietnam]]. The 17th parallel was used as the provisional military demarcation line, which was effectively extended into the territorial waters.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} {{citation needed span|date=June 2022|The Paracel archipelago lies south of this line and belongs to South Vietnam accordingly.}}
* In 1956, after the French withdrawal from Vietnam, South Vietnam replaced French control of the islands. By February 1956, the South Vietnamese Navy was already stationed on Pattle Island by [[Ngô Đình Diệm]],{{sfn|Tonnesson|2006}} though both the PRC and ROC politically and diplomatically condemned the decision and reaffirmed their claims to the islands.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} Following on the former French claim, Vietnam claimed the entire Paracel Islands.<ref name="MHN">Myron H. Nordquist et al., University of Virginia, Center for Oceans Law, [https://books.google.com/books?id=DKXRRfWtkw8C&dq=reasons+of+the+battle+of+paracel+islands+in+1974&pg=PA141 Security Flashpoints] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101102529/https://books.google.com/books?id=DKXRRfWtkw8C&pg=PA141&dq=reasons+of+the+battle+of+paracel+islands+in+1974&lr=#PPA143,M1 |date=January 1, 2016 }}, pp.142–143, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1998. Retrieved on 4-17-2009.</ref>
* On September 4, 1958, the government of the PRC proclaimed the breadth of its territorial sea to be twelve nautical miles (22&nbsp;km) which applied to all its territory, including the Paracel and Spratly Islands. Ten days later, the prime minister of [[North Vietnam]], [[Phạm Văn Đồng]], in his letter to [[Zhou Enlai]] stated that his government had respected the declaration of the PRC government. The PRC government used this letter as justification for their occupation, in fact, according to PhD Nguyen Van Canh: "''The note of a prime minister, that is, the executive, is just an administrative document in the field of diplomacy, and in the matter of territorial transfers, the constitutions of countries stipulate that there must be a treaty regulating the transfer of territory and determine that problem. In other words, the National Assembly decides on that issue, and the National Assembly reflects the will of the entire people when transferring territory."''<ref>{{harvnb|Morley|Nishihara|1997|pp=126–127}}</ref><ref name="MCG"/><ref>[http://www.rfa.org/vietnamese/in_depth/Solution-for--Pham-Van-Dong-Diplomatic-Note-09172008164518.html Giải pháp cho Việt Nam về Công hàm của ông Phạm Văn Đồng?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429013228/http://www.rfa.org/vietnamese/in_depth/Solution-for--Pham-Van-Dong-Diplomatic-Note-09172008164518.html |date=April 29, 2015 }} ''RFA Vietnamese'' 2008-09-17</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thanhniennews.com/politics/late-vietnam-pms-letter-gives-no-legal-basis-to-chinas-island-claim-26821.html|title=Late Vietnam PM's letter gives no legal basis to China's island claim|date=June 3, 2014|publisher=[[Thanh Niên]]|access-date=Jun 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611070201/http://thanhniennews.com/politics/late-vietnam-pms-letter-gives-no-legal-basis-to-chinas-island-claim-26821.html|archive-date=June 11, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[File:HoangSa-thu-dedoc-tranvanchon.jpg|thumbnail|Letter from South Vietnam's General Staff of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, dated 18 February 1974, concerning the Battle of the Paracel Islands]]<!-- --> On January 19, 1974, the Battle of the Paracel Islands between the PRC and South Vietnam took place, leaving the PRC in control of the entire archipelago.<ref name="Gwertzman">{{Cite news |last=Gwertzman |first=Bernard |date=26 January 1974 |title=Peking Reports Holding U.S. Aide |url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1974/01/26/79903943.html?pageNumber=1 |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, NY |access-date=20 July 2016 }}</ref> On January 16, South Vietnamese naval officers and an American observer had reported to [[Saigon]] some suspected military activities of the [[People's Liberation Army Navy|Chinese navy]] on the Drummond and Duncan islands. After receiving the report, the government of South Vietnam decided to counter the Chinese forces, to defend the South Vietnamese-controlled section (the western half of the Paracels) from Chinese occupation,<ref>Thomas J. Cutler, [http://www.pcf45.com/cosgrp16/cosgrp16.html The Battle for the Paracel Islands] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008184717/http://pcf45.com/cosgrp16/cosgrp16.html |date=October 8, 2010 }}, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD. Retrieved on 4-24-2009.</ref> and sent a unit of [[frigates]] to the area. On January 19, there were sea and land battles between the Chinese and Vietnamese forces with casualties on both sides. At the end, the Chinese fleet defeated the naval force of South Vietnam. With the ongoing civil war with the [[Viet Cong]] embroiling South Vietnam's attention and the absence of the USA's support, no military attempt was made to re-engage the PRC over the islands. After the military engagement and the subsequent victory, the PRC gained control of the entire archipelago and has maintained control since.<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|page=254}} It was a significant turning point for the PRC but the sovereignty dispute on the islands remains unresolved with [[Vietnam]].
* In 1982, Vietnam established [[Hoang Sa District]] in [[Quang Nam-Da Nang]] covering these islands.<ref>{{in lang|vi}}{{cite web |title= Huyện đảo Hoàng Sa |publisher= Da Nang City |url= http://www.danangcity.gov.vn/portal/page/portal/danang/chinhquyen/gioi_thieu/don_vi_hanh_chinh?p_pers_id=&p_folder_id=6904276&p_main_news_id=8981394&p_year_sel= |access-date= August 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904011606/http://www.danangcity.gov.vn/portal/page/portal/danang/chinhquyen/gioi_thieu/don_vi_hanh_chinh?p_pers_id=&p_folder_id=6904276&p_main_news_id=8981394&p_year_sel= |archive-date= September 4, 2015 |url-status= dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vietnam.vn/the-hoang-sa-paracel-and-truong-sa-spratly-archipelagoes-and-international-law-1988-c1070n20120102121508750.htm |title=The Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes and international law 1988 |publisher=Authority of Foreign Information Service of Vietnam |access-date=August 28, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313233455/http://www.vietnam.vn/the-hoang-sa-paracel-and-truong-sa-spratly-archipelagoes-and-international-law-1988-c1070n20120102121508750.htm}}</ref>
* In a statement released on 13 July 1999 by the foreign ministry of Taiwan, under President [[Lee Teng-hui]] stated that "legally, historically, geographically, or in reality", all of the South China Sea and the islands were Taiwan's territory and under Taiwanese sovereignty.<ref>{{cite news |author=STRATFOR's Global Intelligence Update |date=July 14, 1999 |title=Taiwan sticks to its guns, to U.S. chagrin |newspaper=Asia Times |url=http://www.atimes.com/china/AG15Ad01.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000929110352/http://www.atimes.com/china/AG15Ad01.html |archive-date=September 29, 2000 |access-date=10 March 2014}}</ref> The ROC's and the PRC's claims "mirror" each other.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sisci |first=Francesco |date=Jun 29, 2010 |title=US toe-dipping muddies South China Sea |newspaper=Asia Times |url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/LG29Ad01.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100730065234/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/LG29Ad01.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 30, 2010 |access-date=14 May 2014}}</ref> Taiwan and China are largely strategically aligned on the islands issue, since they both claim exactly the same area, so Taiwan's claims are viewed{{by whom|date=July 2014}} as an extension of China's claims.<ref name=Wortzel/> Taiwan and China both claim the entire island chains, while all the other claimants only claim portions of them, and China has proposed cooperation with Taiwan against all the other countries claiming the islands, such as Vietnam.<ref name="atimes1">{{cite web |title=Taiwan pours cement on maritime dispute |url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/NH10Ad01.html |access-date=2014-03-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120809143313/http://atimes.com/atimes/China/NH10Ad01.html |archive-date=August 9, 2012}} Kastner Aug 10, 2012.</ref> China has urged Taiwan to cooperate and offered Taiwan a share in oil and gas resources while shutting out all the other rival claimants.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/NF13Ad01.html |title=Taiwan circling South China Sea bait |access-date=2014-05-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613002911/http://atimes.com/atimes/China/NF13Ad01.html |archive-date=June 13, 2012}} Kastner Jun 13, 2012.</ref> Board director Chiu Yi of Taiwan's state run oil company, CPC Corp, has named Vietnam as the "greatest threat" to Taiwan.<ref name="atimes1"/> The United States has regularly ignored Taiwan's claims in the South China Sea and does not include Taiwan in any talks on dispute resolution for the area.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/CHINA-01-140213.html |title=Asia Times Online :: China News, China Business News, Taiwan and Hong Kong News and Business |access-date=2014-05-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214094938/http://atimes.com/atimes/China/CHINA-01-140213.html |archive-date=February 14, 2013}} Womack Feb 14, 2013.</ref>