[War & Business] Nansha Islands and Nanyo Islands

Satellite image of Whitsun Reef located in the Spratly Islands, caught in the territorial dispute between China and the Philippines [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The ‘Nansha Islands (南沙群島),’ which have emerged as the focal point of the South China Sea maritime sovereignty dispute, are known as the Spratly Islands in English?a Chinese term referring collectively to the uninhabited coral islets. However, the name Nansha Islands was not given by China but by Japan.

This area was named by Japan when it occupied the islands during the Pacific War in 1939, using them as a forward base for its invasion of the Indochina Peninsula. Located in the middle of the South China Sea, this area served as a geopolitical stronghold for invading Vietnam, Thailand, as well as Indonesia and the Philippines. The nearby Zhongsha Islands and Xisha Islands also bear Japanese names given by Japan.

Earlier, Japan had acquired the Nanyo Islands colony from Germany after World War I, and the name Nansha Islands was inspired by this. The Nanyo Islands refer to the island nations of the Federated States of Micronesia, spread across the eastern Philippines today. Japan concealed a large aircraft carrier fleet there, preparing for a decisive battle with the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor dealt a significant blow to the U.S., which had failed to detect the forces hidden in the Nanyo Islands.

The reason the U.S. currently fears China’s expanding effective control over the Nansha Islands is interpreted as stemming from the bitter experience of Pearl Harbor. China’s construction of large military ports, missile bases, and airports on the coral reefs of the Nansha Islands raises concerns about a possible second Pearl Harbor-like incident.

In particular, the Nansha Islands are a major maritime trade route not only for China but also for Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and other countries with advanced semiconductor and high-tech industries. If China gains control over the waterways in this region, there is concern that it could create a geopolitical flashpoint that pressures the U.S. and Western countries, similar to Iran’s threat to block the Strait of Hormuz.

The seas around East Asia have historically never had maritime sovereignty boundaries established according to international law among countries. This is because the concept of maritime territory itself was introduced from the West only in the late 19th century after the opening of ports. This explains why most areas, including the South China Sea, our West Sea and East Sea, and the Okinawa region, suffer from sovereignty disputes. Initially, Japan used Western international law to unlawfully occupy East Asian seas, and after its defeat, a situation where fists prevail over negotiations still continues.

In this context, China, emerging as a new power in Asia, is following Japan’s logic by indiscriminately occupying each coral reef and building military bases to strengthen its effective control. It is natural for the U.S. to recall Japan when observing China’s current actions. As military tensions rise in the South China Sea, all neighboring countries hope that the Chinese government will not repeat the misjudgments of Imperial Japan in the past.