PLAN SCS Bases/Islands/Vessels (Not a Strategy Page)

Another piece of news from China about Nansha (Spratlys).

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By Yao Xinyu (People's Daily Online) 09:29, July 23, 2015

File Photo (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)

People's Daily learns from the State Oceanic Administration of China (SOA) that the public service support capability in marine resources conservation, development, research, and safety of maritime navigation is insufficient. Consequently, the SOA plans to reinforce the management of the protection, development and utilization in Nansha Islands and sea areas, and improve the public service capability in the South China Sea.

Nansha Islands are far away from the mainland with intensive ship routes and rich fishery resources. Due to over-fishing and ship pollution, the number of rare biological resources is facing a sharp downturn. Moreover, lacking of infrastructure and public service capability has worsened the situation.

China is a contracting party of United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. As a responsible big country, China owns the obligation to build public service facilities, and improve the work and international cooperation in research and development, island protection, ecological construction, etc.

Experts at the SOA said that in order to protect the ecological environment in Nansha Islands and nearby sea areas, in the 13th Five Year Plan (2016-2020), the SOA will put more effort into its work and improve management majorly in four aspects: enhancing the service level of Islands and seas, guaranteeing the health of ecological environment, strengthening marine observation and forecasting, and boosting ecological energy utilization.

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，source People's Daily, author: Yu Jianbin

Can anyone enlight me as to the nature of the black triangle in he upper center edge of the Island?
As to the "lake" next to Rocky Island, it may very well be for recreation since it offers controlled environment and would be much safer as to letting the staff swim in the open ocean.

pendragon said:

Can anyone enlight me as to the nature of the black triangle in he upper center edge of the Island?
As to the "lake" next to Rocky Island, it may very well be for recreation since it offers controlled environment and would be much safer as to letting the staff swim in the open ocean.

Click to expand...

It could be anything. It looked to be a photo shop blocking that particular area for some reason.

pendragon said:

Can anyone enlight me as to the nature of the black triangle in he upper center edge of the Island?
As to the "lake" next to Rocky Island, it may very well be for recreation since it offers controlled environment and would be much safer as to letting the staff swim in the open ocean.

Click to expand...

I would question the intent of the "lake" as a recreational facility because the water is now stagnant and there doesn't appear to be any channels for exchange of water.

As for the black triangle, this appears in an earlier pic a few posts back so it's hard to tell. Considering there are other piles of construction raw material, would it be possible it's simply a huge pile of black gravel? Asphalt material?

Sansha is on Yongxing (Woody) Island in the Xisha (Paracels)
Zhongsha = Macclesfield Bank
Nansha Islands = Spratly Islands
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2015-07-24 13:39 | Ecns.cn | Editor:Yao Lan

A flag-raising ceremony held on a square in front of Sansha city government's main building on Yongxing Island, a part of the Xisha Islands, July 24, 2015. Nine islands and islets simultaneously held a flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the third anniversary of establishing Sansha city. Sansha, on Yongxing, one of the Xisha islands, was officially established in July in 2012 to administer the Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha island groups and their surrounding waters in the South China Sea. (Photo: China News Service/Luo Yunfei)

I wonder if any of the Chinese members of this forum can find anyone living in Sansha city on social media.

Pictures of Subi Island dated 18-July-2015 published by Victor Robert Lee and DigitalGlobe.
The pictures are high quality and may take a while to display.
Click on the picture to see its enlargement. Enjoy!

ahojunk said:

Pictures of Subi Island dated 18-July-2015 published by Victor Robert Lee and DigitalGlobe.

The pictures are high quality and may take a while to display.

Click to expand...

Thanks! Phenominal pictures.

Plenty of room for an air strip along the upper side of that island.

Zhaoshu (Tree) Island is part of Xisha (Paracel) Islands and is under the administration of Sansha city in Yongxing (Woody) Island. It is the northern most island in the Xisha Island group.

The following pictures give an indication of the type of life on Zhaoshu Island.

Jeff Head said:

Thanks! Phenominal pictures.

Plenty of room for an air strip along the upper side of that island.

Click to expand...

Yes, indeed there is more than ample space for another 3 km airstrip and with room to spare.
It will also have a fantastic natural harbour that can accommodate many ships.
IMHO, the shape and size of the island is more or less finalised.