I'll bet you didn't know anything about this, either
I read in the SCMP.com that Vietnam is demanding that Taiwan stop building a runway on one of the disputed Spratly Islands.
The where?
According to the Agence France-Presse story, the Spratly Islands are claimed in whole or in part by Vietnam, Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan. Only Brunei does not have a military presence there. The particular island in question is Ba Binh (in Vietnamese) or Taiping (in Mandarin).
The CIA factbook has more general background on the Spratly Islands. Note that the islands are believed to be mineral-rich, with possible deposits of natural gas and oil. It is an area of dispute that could turn all kinds of ugly someday.
The where?
According to the Agence France-Presse story, the Spratly Islands are claimed in whole or in part by Vietnam, Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan. Only Brunei does not have a military presence there. The particular island in question is Ba Binh (in Vietnamese) or Taiping (in Mandarin).
The CIA factbook has more general background on the Spratly Islands. Note that the islands are believed to be mineral-rich, with possible deposits of natural gas and oil. It is an area of dispute that could turn all kinds of ugly someday.
Comments