Tensions spiked in the South China Sea near the heavily disputed Paracel Islands on Monday after China's military said it "drove away" a US warship, according to Al Jazeera.

The Paracels – also called the Xisha Islands by Beijing – are claimed by numerous countries, including China, Vietnam, and the self-ruled island of Taiwan. The US sailed the USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, through the waters of the Paracels without government approval and undermined regional stability, the People's Liberation Army's Southern Theater Command said...

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Poster Comment:

Introduction

The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied all the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. China built a military installation on Woody Island with an airfield and artificial harbor, and has scattered garrisons on some of the other islands. The Paracel islands also are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Geography

Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippine

Area

total: 8 sq km ca.

land: 7.75 sq km ca.

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

land area is about 13 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC

Population

1,440 (July 2014 est.)

note: Chinese activity has increased in recent years, particularly on Woody Island, where the population exceeds 1,000; there are scattered Chinese garrisons on some other islands

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 (2019)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Ports and terminals

small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island

Military and Security

Military - note

occupied by China, which is assessed to maintain 20 outposts in the Paracels (Antelope, Bombay, and North reefs; Drummond, Duncan, Lincoln, Middle, Money, North, Pattle, Quanfu, Robert, South, Tree, Triton, Woody, and Yagong islands; South Sand and West Sand; Observation Bank); the outposts range in size from one or two buildings to bases with significant military infrastructure; Woody Island is the main base in the Paracels and includes an airstrip with fighter aircraft hangers, naval facilities, surveillance radars, and defenses such as surface-to-air missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles; fighter aircraft have deployed to the island (2021)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

Full Info: Be advised, this link directs to the CIA Factbook

https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/paracel-islands/