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Zhongzhou Reef also known as Ban Than Reef and Centre Cay (
The reef was included within the area claimed by China 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, 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.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 The Tizard Bank, is a partially sunken atoll and one of the significant maritime features of the north-western part of the Spratly Islands. It is claimed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, and Vietnam, and various parts of it ...
in the Spratly Islands
The Spratly Islands ( fil, Kapuluan ng Kalayaan; zh, c=南沙群島/南沙群岛, s=, t=, p=Nánshā Qúndǎo; Malay, id, Kepulauan Spratly; vi, Quần đảo Trường Sa) are a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. Composed ...
, 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 Phi ...
under administration by the Republic of China (Taiwan)
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...
. It lies east of Taiwan-administered Taiping Island
Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, and also known by various other names, is the largest of the naturally occurring Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The island is elliptical in shape being in length and in width, with an area of . I ...
(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'' can be found on the reef, and the surrounding waters contain various common tropical fish and coral reef fish
Coral reef fish are fish which live amongst or in close relation to coral reefs. Coral reefs form complex ecosystems with tremendous biodiversity. Among the myriad inhabitants, the fish stand out as colourful and interesting to watch. Hundreds ...
. 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
Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, and also known by various other names, is the largest of the naturally occurring Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The island is elliptical in shape being in length and in width, with an area of . I ...
.
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 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, 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
Pratas Island,, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency also known as the Tungsha Islands or the Dongsha Islands (), is a coral island situated in the northern part of the South China Sea administered as part of Cijin District, Kao ...
*Taiping Island
Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, and also known by various other names, is the largest of the naturally occurring Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The island is elliptical in shape being in length and in width, with an area of . I ...
*List of islands of Taiwan
The islands comprising the Taiwan Area under the jurisdiction of the Republic of China (ROC) are classified into various island groups. The island of Taiwan, also known as Formosa, is the largest island and the main component of the ROC-controlle ...
*List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands
This page features a series of lists of maritime features in the Spratly Islands.
Features by area
Of the hundreds of maritime features in the Spratly Islands, relatively few have land permanently above sea-level that is larger than protruding ...
References
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