Taiping (island)
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Taiping (Traditional Chinese: }), also known as Itu Aba, is the largest of the Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands) in the South China Sea. It is controlled and governed by the Republic of China (Taiwan). The Spratly Island consists of seven reefs.
The islands are on the Spratly Archipelago near the Cheng Ho Reefs (Tizard Bank) in the southern end of the South China Sea.
History
The island derives its name from the battle ship "Peace (Taiping)" sent to recover the island after Japan's surrender at the end of World War II. An interesting fact about Taiping Island is that fishermen used to call the island "Huang-Shan Ma Zhi." The Hainan Island pronunciation for this name is "Widuabe." On other western navigation maps, the island is named "Itu Aba Island" [link].During World War II it was invaded by Japan and converted to a submarine base. Japan renounced its control in 1946 and turned over the island to the Republic of China.
As of 2005, plans are underway by the Republic of China government to build an airstrip on the island. The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affair has sent a representative to Taipei and requested the ROC to stop the construction. [link]
The island is disputed by six countries due to fishing rights, shipping lanes, but more importantly for the potential of petroleum underneath.
Government
Although the are no long term inhabitants on the island, Taiping is administered under the Central municipality of Kaohsiung City by the Republic of China.Settlement
Like Pratas, Taiping is generally uninhabited, but there are some structures of temporary residents:
- Yong Shu Reef Ocenaic Weather Station
- Three-star hotel with a desalination plant, a freshwater swimming pool, diving facilities
- airport and runway for military and civilian flights
Geography
The Spratly Island is made up of:
- Swallow Atoll - a 0.1 square km islet with a man-made Swallow Reef
- Swallows
- Papaya plant
- Coast oak
- Terminalia trees
- Lotus leaf tung tree
- Goodeniaceae
- Sea lemon
- Long stem chrysanthemum
- Long-saddle rattan
- Gray grass
- Coconut tree
- Banana tree
- White-tailed Tropical Bird
- Sparrow hawk
- Tropical fish
- Jelly fish
See also
- South China Sea
- South China Sea Islands
- Dongsha Islands or Pratas Islands
- List of islands of the Republic of China
References
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