Rocky Island (simplified Chinese: 石岛; traditional Chinese: 石島; pinyin: Shí Dǎo; lit. 'stone island'; Vietnamese: Đảo Đá) is one of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. It is under the administration of the People's Republic of China and guarded by the PLA Navy. The island is also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.
Rocky Island
Shí Dǎo 石岛 | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Shí Dǎo Island 石岛虚拟镇 | |
 Rocky Island (left) connected to Woody Island (right) circa 2010. | |
  Rocky Island | |
| Coordinates: 16°50′40″N 112°20′50″E / 16.84444°N 112.34722°E | |
| Country | China |
| Province | Hainan |
| City | Sansha |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town |
| • Body | Yongxingdao Neighborhood Committee |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 0.4 km (0.2 mi) |
| • Width | 0.22 km (0.14 mi) |
| Ethnicity | |
| • Chinese | 100% |
| Languages | |
| • Chinese | 100% |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (China) |
| Post code | 572000 |
| Dialing code | +86 0898 |
Geography
editUntil 2016–2017, Rocky Island was connected to Woody Island by an 800-metre concrete causeway. Land reclamation in 2016-2017 has joined the two islands by a larger area of land.[1][2][3] The north part of causeway is now part of an infill construction project while the south end provides protection of the roadway from the sea.
History
editA signals intelligence station was built on Rocky Island in 1995, mainly because the island is the highest point in the Paracel Islands.[4][5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Recent developments surrounding the South China Sea". Star Tribune. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
- ^ "As US-China tussle, Asean frets". Retrieved 31 March 2017.
- ^ Woody Island, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, Center for Strategic & International Studies
- ^ Yossef Bodansky. "Beijing's surge for the Strait of Malacca".
- ^ "Australian expert's opinions on Chinese deployment of air defences on Spratly Islands - News VietNamNet". english.vietnamnet.vn. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
External links
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