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The sovereignty of the Paracels has been the subject of dispute between the People's Republic of China, Republic of China (Taiwan), and Vietnam since at least the early 20th century.<br/><br/> France annexed the islands as part of French Indochina despite protests from China in the 1930s, but they were taken over by Japanese troops during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Japan renounced the claims to the islands after the war and the Republic of China occupied some of the Paracel islands in late 1946. A small Chinese platoon was stationed on Woody Island.<br/><br/> After the success of communists in the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the People's Republic of China occupied Woody Island, the main island of the Amphitrite group and the only island that was occupied at the time. Pattle Island, the largest of the Crescent group, on the other hand, was reoccupied by French Indochina and later controlled by South Vietnam following independence in 1956.<br/><br/> Tensions over these features continued to rise and climaxed at the Battle of the Paracel Islands between the Republic of Vietnam and the People's Republic of China. After the bloody engagement, the latter seized the entire archipelago and has taken control of the islands since 1974. Vietnam does not recognise this fait accompli and continues to dispute ownership.
Carte Hydro-Geo-Graphique des Indes Orientales en deca et au dela du Gange avec leur Archipel Dressee et assujettie aux Observations Astronomiques, by cartographer Rigobert Bonne (1727-1795).<br/><br/> Bonne's 1771 map of Tonkin and the South China Sea / East Sea is important and controversial as it clearly shows Hainan Island (yellow outline) belonging to China and, more significantly, the Paracel Islands - currently disputed between China and Vietnam but occupied by the former - in green, as Vietnamese territory. The disputed Spratlys are not shown on the map.<br/><br/> In 1771 Tonkin was ruled by the Trinh Lords (1545-1787), specifically by the 10th Trinh Lord, Trịnh Sâm (Ruled 1767 - 1782 under the title Tinh Do Vương).
Carte Hydro-Geo-Graphique des Indes Orientales en deca et au dela du Gange avec leur Archipel Dressee et assujettie aux Observations Astronomiques, by cartographer Rigobert Bonne (1727-1795).<br/><br/> Bonne's 1771 map of Tonkin and the South China Sea / East Sea is important and controversial as it clearly shows Hainan Island (yellow outline) belonging to China and, more significantly, the Paracel Islands - currently disputed between China and Vietnam but occupied by the former - in green, as Vietnamese territory. The disputed Spratlys are not shown on the map.<br/><br/> In 1771 Tonkin was ruled by the Trinh Lords (1545-1787), specifically by the 10th Trinh Lord, Trịnh Sâm (Ruled 1767 - 1782 under the title Tinh Do Vương).