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Why is sovereignty over the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands disputed?
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Hainan
Beach on Wuzhizhou Island, far southern Hainan province, China.
Sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Islands is disputed primarily due to overlapping territorial claims, strategic interests, and the potential for natural resources.123
The conflict is driven by several key factors:
- Historical Claims: China and Taiwan base their assertions on "historical waters," represented by a U-shaped "9-dash line" that encompasses roughly 90 percent of the South China Sea. This line conflicts with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which defines exclusive economic zones (EEZs) extending 200 nautical miles from a country's coast.1243
- Resource Potential: Disputes intensified in the 1970s following the discovery of potential oil and gas reserves in the region. Additionally, the islands are located near vital sea routes and productive fishing grounds.143
- Strategic Positioning: The islands serve as critical geopolitical locations. Various nations have occupied features to establish garrisons, build airstrips, or create artificial land to solidify their presence.143
- Conflicting Sovereignty: Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei maintain claims that overlap with China’s assertions, leading to ongoing naval and diplomatic standoffs.123