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Located in the northern part of the South China Sea, Zhongsha Qundao, including Xisha Qundao and Zhongsha Qundao, is located at the key point of the South China Sea and has vast sea areas and strategic value. However, while the Paracels have a land area of about 10 square kilometers, they govern more than 500,000 square kilometers of sea. In April 2020, the State Council approved the establishment of Xisha District and Nansha District in Sansha City, Hainan Province, so that the islands and reefs of Zhongsha Qundao and their waters will be under the management of Xisha District of Sansha City.
The Zhongsha Islands stretch from Shenhu Shoal in the north to Huangyan Island in the east, covering a sea area of more than 600,000 square kilometers. This area is not only geographically important, but also a necessary place for merchant ships to travel north to Taiwan, Shanghai, Japan and South Korea, and its strategic value is very significant. However, it is puzzling whether China has not yet deployed troops in the Zhongsha Islands, is this due to the lack of islands and reefs to garrison, or is there some other special reason?
The truth is negative. The main component of the Zhongsha Islands, the Zhongsha Atoll, is actually an island for garrisons, and its strategic value has always been underestimated. Zhongsha Atoll is the largest atoll in the South China Sea, with a length of about 140 kilometers from northeast to southwest and a width of about 61 kilometers, with a total area of more than 8,000 square kilometers, equivalent to the size of more than 70 Nansha Fiery Cross Reefs.
Located in the northern center of the South China Sea, this atoll controls important international shipping routes in the South China Sea, and is located in the center of Sanya to Huangyan Dao, which is of great significance for stabilizing the situation in the South China Sea. There are dozens of dark sands distributed around Zhongsha Atoll, and its coral reef rocks are numerous, growing various types of stony coral and soft corals, and the marine life near the coral is also very rich, suitable for marine research and fish farming.
Topographically, the outer slope of Zhongsha Atoll is step-shaped, and the water depth gradually increases from 350 meters to more than 2,000 meters, and then to more than 3,500 meters. This kind of terrain is quite rare among the islands and reefs of Nansha and Xisha Islands, and Zhongsha Atoll is actually a vast underwater plateau surrounded by deep sea, which is very suitable for building submarine bases.
Although Zhongsha Atoll has such rich resources and unique geographical location, it is currently underdeveloped. Worryingly, the very low level of attention paid to the Atoll of Zhongsha has led to an influx of Vietnamese fishermen into the area, posing serious safety risks. Vietnamese fishermen not only frequently enter the waters of Zhongsha Atoll to fish, but also often carry explosives to blow up fish and coral reefs, causing serious damage to the ecological environment. This is an urgent issue that requires measures to fully exploit the strategic value of the Sino-Sand Atoll.
However, there are two main limiting factors for the underdevelopment of the Zhongsha Atoll. First of all, the Zhongsha Atoll has not entered the water, and the cost of developing shoals is too high. In addition, the large atolls of Zhongsha are all submerged by seawater, with a shallowest water depth of 9 meters, the cost of land reclamation is high, and it is only more than 200 kilometers from Woody Island, so there is no need for China to invest huge amounts of money to build it.
In addition, Huangyan Dao, located about 300 kilometers east of Zhongsha Atoll, is a key focus of China's strategy in the South China Sea. The importance of Huangyan Dao to some extent belies the strategic value of Zhongsha Atoll. China has been eyeing the dispute over Scarborough Shoal and took complete control of the island in 2012. Therefore, the strategic value of the Sino-Saudi Atoll is relatively unappreciated.
However, despite these constraints, we still need to pay close attention to the activities of Vietnamese fishing vessels to ensure stability in the South China Sea. With the construction of the Paracel Islands and the Chinese Navy, the Zhongsha Atoll may eventually be developed into a fishing and tourism base, fully utilizing its strategic value.
In this turbulent part of the South China Sea, the potential of the Zhongsha Atoll has yet to be fully explored. China has already begun to build a strong navy and infrastructure in the Paracel Islands, which provides more possibilities for the future development of the Sino-Sacca Atoll. However, the development of the Sino-Sand Atoll requires careful planning and firm determination.
First of all, China can take advantage of the rich fishery resources of the Zhongsha Atoll to establish a fishery breeding base to meet domestic and foreign demand. The waters around Zhongsha Atoll are rich in sailfish, swordfish, tuna and other economic fish, which provide natural advantages for fish farming. At the same time, the coral reefs and underwater landscapes around Zhongsha Atoll are also suitable for the development of diving tourism and attract domestic and foreign tourists.
In addition, the strategic position of the Sino-Saudi Atoll should receive full attention. Building an integrated naval base, including submarine bases, would strengthen China's strategic position in the South China Sea. This will enable China to better maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region and ensure national security.
However, the development of the Sino-Sacca Atoll requires overcoming a number of technical and environmental challenges. Zhongsha Atoll has not entered the water, so it is necessary to study how to effectively develop the shoal. The cost of land reclamation is higher, but it can be reduced through technological innovation and resource optimization.
In addition, measures need to be taken to protect the ecological environment to prevent the further destruction of fish bombing and coral reefs. International cooperation may also help to solve this problem and jointly maintain the ecological balance of the South China Sea.
In short, Zhongsha Atoll is a pearl in the South China Sea, and its strategic position and potential cannot be ignored. China has the opportunity to give full play to the advantages of this region, promote the sustainable development of the Sino-Saudi Atoll, and contribute to peace and prosperity in the South China Sea region. With China's development and stability in the South China Sea, the Sino-Saudi Atoll will gradually demonstrate its true value.
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