On Great Historic Achievements of Recovery of Xisha and Nansha Islands 70 Years Ago from Perspective of Civil Jurisdiction

Lu Junhua Vice Governor of Hainan Province

Respected Admiral Wu Shengli and Admiral Miao Hua,

Guests and friends,

Today is a date worth memorizing forever. On the same day 70 years ago, after the victory of Anti-Fascist war, Xisha and Nansha Islands returned to our motherland, and people in Hainan as well as all Chinese people were filled with joy and happiness.

The South China Sea is vast with numerous islands and reefs. It is in the Han Dynasty or even at much earlier time that our ancestors arrived here, discovered, named and explored the Islands. Yi Wu Zhi (An Account of Strange Things), a document written in Han Dynasty, mentions “Zhanghai Qitou”. “Zhanghai”(the Rising Sea) is the vivid appellation of the South China Sea given by the ancient Chinese people. Hainan is faced with South China Sea, named after it, and goes prosperous with it. The South China Sea is the sacred “Ancestor Sea” in the heart of Hainan fishermen. They have been fishing and navigating all the time from generation to generation here, and therefore have left many traces on the Islands. Even until now, historical remains of buildings in the style of Tang and Song Dynasties are still preserved on Ganquan Island of Xisha. Many fishermen in Hainan labored and lived on the South China Sea islands, and some even rested forever on these islands with their tombs still there. At that time, fishermen had built many temples, which we called “Xiongdigong Temple”, to pray for safety and smooth return from these islands to the mainland.

Geng Lu Bu (Manual of Sea Route) was compiled by Hainan fishermen from their experiences in sailing and working, and became their navigation log passed on from generation to generation. Geng is the unit for distance and Lu means direction. Geng Lu Bu does not only mark the position of islands and reefs but also navigation route and the location of fishing waters. It recorded 98 names of South China Sea Islands, among them 22 places are in Xisha, 76 in Nansha.

For many centuries, especially after Qin and Han Dynasties, Chinese government has exercised persistent and effective administration over South China Sea islands. In Sui and Tang Dynasties Governor’s Office was established in Hainan Island, and authorized Zhenzhou for the administration of Xisha, Nansha and Zhongsha. In Song Dynasty Naval Forces were organized to patrol and garrison South China Sea. In Ming Dynasty government posts such as Haifangtongzhi were set up, and Hainanwei was established in Guangdong Province, which governed some military forces in Qinglan, Danzhou, Yazhou and took the responsibility to defend South China Sea. In Qing Dynasty naval forces were established in Yazhou to patrol and garrison South China Sea. After the founding of People’s Republic of China, Guangdong and Hainan provinces are successively responsible for the administration of South China Sea and Sansha, which is continuation of history. In March 1959 the Working Committee for Xisha, Nansha and Zhongsha was established in Yongxin Island, and officials were stationed in the island on rotary basis. In 2012 Sansha city was established, which marks a new era for China’s administration of South China Sea.

In the four years since Sansha city was established, the government has been operating in good order, its primary-level administration has realized full coverage of inhabited islands in Xisha and Nansha, actively providing basic public services for people in the islands. Intensified efforts have been made to develop characteristic industries such as marine tourism, and more than 100 enterprises have registered in Sansha, laying a foundation for the marine resources exploitation and rising industries development. Law enforcement in sea has been carried out on daily basis and more than 300 ships have been punished for violating law and regulations. Ecological environment in the South China Sea has been protected with intensive care, projects for sewage disposal, rubbish transfer, sea water desalination and landscape engineering have been accomplished, and behaviors of damaging environment are severely punished. Lighthouses, search and rescue center, meteorological disaster forecasting and warning center have been set up to provide services of navigation, meteorology and emergent aids.

Currently in accordance with strategic requirement of Belt and Road Initiative, Hainan Province is making full play of Boao Asia Forum, boosting tourism industry, and developing Hainan into International Tourism Island and the comprehensive supporting base for the construction of Maritime Silk Road. Hainan Province is neighboring to Southeast Asian countries and located in the key point of international shipping routes, which provides us with remarkable geographic advantages. We’d like to take the opportunity of Belt and Road Initiative, make full use of our unique advantages, deepen cooperation with neighboring countries in the fields of fishery, cruise tourism, sea shipping, maritime resources exploitation, ocean environment protection, disaster reduction, search and rescue operation, and build South China Sean into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation. Thank you!