Hughes Reef
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Disputed reef | |
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![]() Hughes Reef | |
Other names | 東門礁 / 东门礁 Dōngmén Jiāo (Chinese) đá Tư Nghĩa (Vietnamese) |
Geography | |
Location | South China Sea |
Coordinates | 9°55′N 114°30′E / 9.917°N 114.500°E |
Archipelago | Spratly Islands |
Administration | |
Province | Hainan |
City | Sansha |
Claimed by | |
Hughes Reef (Mandarin Chinese: 東門礁/东门礁; pinyin: Dōngmén Jiāo, Vietnamese: đá Tư Nghĩa) is a reef in Union Banks in the Spratly group of islands, South China Sea claimed by the PRC (China), the ROC (Taiwan), the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. It is only above water at low tide.[1]
The PRC has reclaimed land on the reef, bringing its area to 7.6 hectares, and occupied the reef.[2] The reef has a lighthouse[3] on top of a two storied defence outpost.[4]
Geographical features
On 12 July 2016, the tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration concluded that Hughes Reef is, or in its natural condition was, exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide and, accordingly, its low-tide elevations do not generate an entitlement to a territorial sea, exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.[5]
Military development
In late 2016, photographs emerged which suggested that Hughes Reef has been armed with anti-aircraft weapons and a CIWS missile-defence system.[6]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Union_Bank_%26_Reefs_%28Spratly_Islands%29.png/630px-Union_Bank_%26_Reefs_%28Spratly_Islands%29.png)
See also
References
- ^ "Digital Gazetteer of the Spratly Islands". www.southchinasea.org. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ^ "Hughes reef tracker". Center for Strategic and International Studies. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
- ^ Rowlett, Russ (15 November 2013). "Lighthouses of the Spratly Islands". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ^ "Photo : Hughes reef outpost and lighthouse". Panoromio. 24 May 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ^ "Award" (PDF). Permanent Court of Arbitration. 12 July 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2016. p.174
- ^ "China's New Spratly Island Defenses". Center for Strategic and International Studies. 2016-12-13. Retrieved 2016-12-17.