Meaning of Spratly Islands | Babel Free

Definitions

A group of islands, atolls, reefs, and cays in the South China Sea.

Equivalents

Examples

“On the other hand, two moves by Japan during this period may have a certain significance. The first was announcement of Japanese occupation of the Spratly islands on March 31, complemented by the annexation, on April 18, of a group of reefs and islets 300 miles long between French Indo-China, the Philippines and British North Borneo in the South China Sea.[…] The line of least resistance, however, clearly lies toward the south. France and Britain, in particular, would have small military and naval forces at their disposal to protect their eastern possession; or the oil of the Dutch East Indies—for Japan the greatest prize of all. The occupation of Hainan and the Spratly islands has already pointed the way. Only one serious obstacle threatens attainment of this objective: the United States.”

“Japan has strengthened its naval position during the war by occupying Hainan Island, located midway between Hong Kong and French Indo-China and squarely athwart the sea route from Hong Kong to Singapore, and the Spratly Islands, off the coast of Indo-China, a little group of coral reefs which may be useful as advanced submarine bases.[…] Japan remained relatively passive during the first weeks of the new crisis generated by Hitler’s eastward march and the efforts of Great Britain to forge a wall of resistance among the East European countries. The seizure of the Spratly Islands, a small group of coral reefs off the southeastern coast of Indo-China, was a minor operation, although this would certainly not have taken place if France had not been too much concerned in Europe to assert its right of ownership over the Spratly group.”

“In the eastern hemisphere the Japanese occupied the island of Hainan off French Indo-China; annexed the Spratly islands further south, between Indo-China and Borneo; and continued local gains in north China.”

“The Spratly Islands in the South China Sea are still occupied by troops of the Republic of China, according to Major General Li Chang-hao, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense.”

“As far as can be determined, all of the Spratly Islands are capped by active coral reef and there are no other rock outcrops. Most of the ‘islands’ are under water at high tide, but some maintain a partial low elevation of a rim surrounding a lagoon, in which case they are sparsely vegetated and inhabited by sea birds. There are no indigenous human inhabitants, but tourists visit for diving and fishing and the military occupy many for territorial claims.”

“A United States P8A surveillance aircraft flying near the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea on May 20 was asked by the Chinese navy to leave the area.”

“On December 10, a flotilla of 40 boats set off from the Philippine coastal town of El Nido in Palawan province to a group of islets and shoals in the South China Sea called the Spratly Islands, parts of which are claimed by several countries.”

CEFR level