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Zhongzhou Reef also known as Ban Than Reef and Centre Cay (
The reef was included within the area claimed by 淨灘活動（中華民國行政院海巡署）
ROC Coast Guard Administration, 2010. On 22 March 2012, a routine patrol of the Taiwanese Coast Guard came into contact with Vietnamese patrol boats near the reef; following the incident, Taiwanese legislators Lin Yu-fang, Chen Zhenxiang and Chen Zhankai visited the reef by M8 speedboats.
南沙群島（中華民國行政院海巡署）
Small photo
of the reef, also showing a wooden platform. {{South China Sea Reefs of the Spratly Islands Islands of Taiwan Landforms of Kaohsiung Tizard Bank Reefs of the Pacific Ocean
Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
; vi, Bãi Bàn Than) is a small coral reef on the north edge of the Tizard Bank in the Spratly Islands, South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
under administration by the Republic of China (Taiwan) . It lies east of Taiwan-administered Taiping Island (Itu Aba), west of Vietnam-administered Sand Cay
A cay ( ), also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, including in the Caribbean and on the Great ...
, and has an exposed area of approximately during high tide, and during low tide. It consists of an accumulation of seashells, sand, coral reefs and debris which forms a circular coral reef plate, surrounding the reef under the water, with a diameter of approximately .
The reef is also claimed by the People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, and Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
.
As many as 51 species of migratory birds inhabit the reef for short stays. The surrounding waters contain a rich marine ecosystem with plentiful staghorn coral. Shellfish species such as ''Harpago chiragra
''Harpago chiragra'', common name the Chiragra spider conch, is a species of very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs.Bouchet, P. (2011). Harpago chiragra (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through ...
'' and ''Cassis cornuta
''Cassis cornuta'', common name the horned helmet, is a species of extremely large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cassidae, the helmet shells and their allies.Rosenberg, G. (2012). Cassis cornuta (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed th ...
'' can be found on the reef, and the surrounding waters contain various common tropical fish and coral reef fish. The reef geology is not suitable for plant growth.
The reef has no groundwater source. Though currently uninhabited by humans, the Taiwanese Coast Guard sends regular patrols via M8 speedboats from nearby Taiping Island.
These patrols circle the reef, in addition to landing, making inspections and carrying out ecological surveys.
The Vietnam People's Navy also sends patrols from nearby Sand Cay
A cay ( ), also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, including in the Caribbean and on the Great ...
.
Recent history
The reef was included within the area claimed by China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
in 1935, and this claim was reiterated in a map published in 1947.
Scientists from Taiwan conducted ecological research on green turtles living on the reef from 2002 to 2003.
On 16 August 2003, the Taiwanese Minister of the Interior Yu Cheng-hsien visited the reef, travelling via M8 speedboat
M8 or M-8 or M.08 or ''variant, may refer to:
Computing and electronics
* M8 (cipher), an encryption algorithm
* Leica M8, a digital rangefinder camera
* HTC One (M8), a smartphone
* Meizu M8, a smartphone
Places
* Messier 8, also known as M8 or ...
, and planted a Taiwanese flag in a declaration of sovereignty. On 28 March 2004, the Taiwanese Coast Guard Administration completed the construction of wooden observation kiosks on the reef.
In September 2010, the ROC Environmental Protection Agency conducted environmental quality sampling intending on monitoring reef marine water quality.ROC Coast Guard Administration, 2010. On 22 March 2012, a routine patrol of the Taiwanese Coast Guard came into contact with Vietnamese patrol boats near the reef; following the incident, Taiwanese legislators Lin Yu-fang, Chen Zhenxiang and Chen Zhankai visited the reef by M8 speedboats.
See also
* Pratas Island * Taiping Island * List of islands of Taiwan * List of maritime features in the Spratly IslandsReferences
南沙群島（中華民國行政院海巡署）
External links
Small photo
of the reef, also showing a wooden platform. {{South China Sea Reefs of the Spratly Islands Islands of Taiwan Landforms of Kaohsiung Tizard Bank Reefs of the Pacific Ocean