Definition of "Chungsha"

The Chungsha group, also known as Macclesfield Bank, just southeast of the Sisha, consists merely of a group of underwater reefs and sandbanks.

1956, Theodore Shabad, “The Kwangtung-Kwangsi Hills”, in China's Changing Map: A Political and Economic Geography of the Chinese People's Republic‎, New York: Frederick A. Praeger, page 169

The Chungsha Islands are shoals submerged by the sea. China's sovereign rights over them have always been taken as a matter of course.

1974, Jerome A. Cohen, Hungdah Chiu, People's China and International Law: A Documentary Study‎, volume 1, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, published 2017, page 343

The Macclesfield Bank (Chungsha ch’ün-tao) consists of 24 shoals, 3 reefs and 2 banks, all of which are under water.

1974, United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs, “Fact Sheet from Embassy of the Republic of Viet-Nam Information Office, Washington D.C., January 28, 1974, Entitled "The Sovereignty of the Republic of Viet-Nam Over the Archipelago of Hoang Sa (Paracels)"”, in Oil and Asian Rivals‎, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, page 458

The 1958 Declaration also mentions Macclesfield Bank (Chungsha) between latitude 15° and 17° but it is doubtful whether these formations can qualify as base-points at all since they are submerged features and not true islands.

1978, Derek W. Bowett, “The China Sea”, in The Legal Regime of Islands In International Law‎, published 1979, page 293

The Macclesfield Bank is not a group of islands, but an extensive submerged atoll situated southeast of the Paracel Islands. Water depths range from 4 to 45 fathoms over the bank. Although the features lie below the surface of the sea, the People’s Republic of China has claimed these “islands,” which it terms the Chungsha Islands.

1985, Daniel J. Dzurek, “Boundary and Resource Disputes in the South China Sea”, in Ocean Yearbook 5‎, University of Chicago Press, page 272

In August 1951, Zhou Enlai, then foreign minister of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), proclaimed the "inviolable sovereignty of the Peoples Republic of China over Spratly Island and the Paracel archipelago." He went on to insist that "the whole Spratly archipelago, and the Chungsha [Macclesfield Bank], and Tungsha [Pratas] archipelago have always been Chinese territory."

1989, A. James Gregor, “Conflict in the South China Sea”, in In the Shadow of Giants: The Major Powers and the Security of Southeast Asia‎, Hoover Institution Press, page 91

Taiwan, meanwhile, reiterated its position, emphasizing its sovereignty over the contested territory. According to a June 15 statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “the Nansha Islands (南沙群島), the Shisha Islands (西沙群島), the Chungsha Islands (中沙群島) and the Tungsha Islands (東沙群島), as well as their surrounding waters, seabeds and subsoil, are all an inherent part of the territory of the Republic of China (Taiwan).” Moreover, on Wednesday last week, as reported by the Central News Agency, Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang (楊進添) spoke of increasing military patrols on Taiwan-held islands.

2011 July 1, Richard Pearson, “Taiwan and the South China Sea”, in Taipei Times‎, archived from the original on July 03, 2011, Editorials, page 8‎

On 10 February 1999, Taipei took a step forward to clarify the basis of its territorial sea claims by defining and publicising baselines around its land territory and internal water, which included the Tungsha (Pratas Island and Reef) and the Chungsha (Macclesfield Bank) in the northern part of the South China Sea.

2012 July 24, Stirring up the South China Sea (II): Regional Responses‎, International Crisis Group, page 37

In the South China Sea, Taiwan has had personnel stationed on Taiping Island (also known as Itu Aba) since 1956. With a firm basis in history, geography and international law, Taiwan also claims the Nansha (Spratly), Shisha (Paracel), Chungsha (Macclesfield Bank) and Tungsha (Pratas) Islands and their surrounding waters as an inherent part of the Republic of China's territory and waters.

2015 June 12, Ma Ying-jeou, “President Ma's article titled "A Plan for Peace in the South China Sea" appears in Wall Street Journal”, in Office of the President (Republic of China)‎, archived from the original on April 30, 2024, News releases‎

With regard to disputes in the South China Sea, the Executive Yuan and Ministry of Foreign Affairs have released numerous statements declaring that, whether from the perspective of history, geography, or international law, the Nansha (Spratly) Islands, Shisha (Paracel) Islands, Chungsha Islands (Macclesfield Bank), and Tungsha (Pratas) Islands, as well as their surrounding waters, are an inherent part of ROC territory and waters, and that the ROC enjoys all rights over these islands and their surrounding waters in accordance with international law.

2015 December 12, “The ROC Ministry of the Interior released the following press release Dec. 12:ROC Minister of the Interior Chen Wei-zen presides over a ceremony marking the opening of a wharf and lighthouse on Taiping Island, demonstrating the ROC’s commitment to making Taiping Island a peaceful and low-carbon island, as well as an ecological reserve, in accordance with the spirit of the South China Sea Peace Initiative”, in Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan)‎, archived from the original on 20 June 2017

Chungsha (Macclesfield Bank) Islands: Previously called the Nansha, the Chungsha Islands lie to the east and slightly to the south of the Shisha Islands, roughly 467 nautical miles from Kaohsiung Harbor (the closest feature being Minzhu Reef, also known as Huangyan Island or Scarborough Reef). They are distributed between 13°57' and 19°12' north latitude and 113°43' and 117°48' east longitude. Only Minzhu Reef rises above the waterline, while the rest are submerged coral reefs. The Chungsha Islands occupy an important position along major routes for fishing and commercial vessels, with surrounding waters rich in marine resources.

2016 March 23, “Position Paper on ROC South China Sea Policy”, in Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Auckland‎, archived from the original on April 30, 2024, Announcements, pages 13–14‎

There’s more: “The Nansha (Spratly) Islands, Shisha (Paracel) Islands, Chungsha (Macclesfield Bank) Islands, and Tungsha (Pratas) Islands (together known as the South China Sea Islands) were first discovered, named, and used by the ancient Chinese, and incorporated into national territory and administered by imperial Chinese governments…. Any claim to sovereignty over, or occupation of, these areas by other countries is illegal.”

2016 March 28, Tom Plate, “Why the Chinese are so territorial about the South China Sea”, in South China Morning Post‎, archived from the original on March 30, 2016, Opinion‎

In addition, the Philippines claimed that it had sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal in the Chungsha Islands (Macclesfield Bank), and demanded that China respect its rights and freedom of navigation in the region and abide by the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, COLREG). […] The Philippines has argued that it has sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal in the Chungsha Islands (Macclesfield Bank).

2016 May 24, Michael Gau [高聖惕], “Why Does China Ignore South China Sea Arbitration Brought By the Philippines?”, in Kuomintang Official Website‎, sourced from United Daily News, archived from the original on April 30, 2024, General News‎