Taiping Island

Template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / area missing

Taiping Dao (Chinese太平 岛, pinyin or Itu Aba Taiping Dǎo; Filipino: Ligaw / Ligao; Vietnamese: Đạo Ba Bình ), is the largest of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The island has an elliptical shape of 1.4 km in length and a maximum of 350 m width. It is part of the Tizard Bank, one of seven reefs of the Spratly Islands.

The island is administered by the Republic of China, however, the Philippines, Vietnam and the People's Republic of China raise territorial claims to the island.

Naming

The various claims of ownership are also manifested in different naming. Thus, the island is called in Vietnamese Ba Bình or Filipino Ligaw (the " Lost " or " the Wild "). Chinese fishermen gave her from time immemorial two names Huángshānmǎ Jiao (黄山 马 礁) or Huángshānmǎ Zhi (黄山 马 峙).

When the island was occupied from 1939 to 1945 by the Japanese, it was given the name长岛[note 1]. In English, it is usually referred to as Itu Aba, derived from the Malay spoken question " What is it? ". It is also an interpretation that says that the island was after two Vietnamese girls, and Ba Tu, named. This notation can be found on maps of the French colonial government in the Indochina Time. The Chinese name Taiping is from a warship that started off the island after the Japanese surrender first.

History

The island was officially inaugurated in 1887 by France as part of Indochina in 1930 claim and occupied by French troops. During the Second World War it was conquered by Japan and expanded into a submarine base. Administratively, the island was the district Takao (Kaohsiung ), part of the former Japanese colony of Taiwan, slammed.

After the withdrawal of the Japanese therefore Taiping Dao came in 1946 under the control of the Republic of China. Linked to this was the inclusion in the Guangdong province.

The Republic of China secured against Japan in 1952 in the Treaty of Taipei 's claim to the island.

The Republic of China currently has deployed approximately 100 members of the Coast Guard on the island. In addition, there is no permanent population.

Some inconsistencies on the part of Vietnam a landing strip was built on the island in 2005. Thus, it is possible to land including the C -130 Hercules transport.

The island is a major point of contention between the residents of Taiwan, People's Republic of China, Vietnam and the Philippines. There are historical, geostragetische and economic reasons. Especially after it was revealed that among the Spratly Islands to store large oil reserves, the claims on their largest and most developed island with the best infrastructure Taiping Dao increase.

Administration

The Republic of China manages the island as part of the district Qijin which belongs to the southern port city of Kaohsiung. The People's Republic of China claims the island as part of the prefecture-level city Sansha of Hainan Province.

Flora and Fauna

On the island grow papayas, coastal oaks, Terminalia, the Lotusblättrige tung oil tree, Goodeniengewächse, long-stemmed roses, long saddle rattan, gray grass, coconut and banana.

On the island of swallows, hawks, tropical birds and fish are endemic.