Backgrounder: Archaeological findings, facts prove Chinese people owner of South China Sea islands

Historical facts, records by Western countries and archaeological findings since the 1920s all prove that Chinese people, who lived on the South China Sea islands since ancient times, are the real owner of these islands.

After the Xisha Islands and Nansha Islands were returned to China from Japan at the end of World War II, the Chinese government and scientists enhanced their archaeological research and discovered a lot of traces of how ancient Chinese people lived on the islands.

On Ganquan Dao of Xisha Islands, archaeologists found ancient sites of human habitation in the Tang (618-907 AD) and Song (960-1279 AD) Dynasties, where more than 50 ceramics for daily life as well as means of production such as iron swords and chisels were unearthed. They also collected relics including pieces of iron pans and coins in the Song and Ming (1368-1644 AD) Dynasties.

On several other isles of the Xisha Islands, such as Yongxing Dao, Quanfu Dao and Bei Dao, Chinese porcelain wares in the Ming and Qing (1644-1911 AD) Dynasties were excavated. Sacrificial relics left over by Chinese people since the Ming Dynasty including 13 small temples were discovered on Chenhang Dao and Bei Dao.

On Taiping Dao of the Nansha Islands, scientists found traces of how ancient Chinese people lived from the end of the Ming Dynasty to the mid-Qing Dynasty, including ceramics, iron nails, flints, animal remains and grave stones of boatmen in the Qing Dynasty.

On Zhenghe Reefs, a group of reefs in the Nansha Islands named after the great navigator in the Ming Dynasty, pottery fragments in the Qin (221-206 BC), Han(206-220 BC) and the Six Dynasties (222-589 AD), coins in Tang Dynasty as well as products from folk kilns in the Song, Yuan (1206-1368 AD), Ming and Qing Dynasties were discovered.

Besides, pottery pots, celadon in the Song and Yuan Dynasties as well as blue and white porcelain wares in the Ming and Qing Dynasties were found on other reefs of the Nansha Islands.

The archaeological findings showed that in as late as the Tang Dynasty, Chinese people had settled down on some islands and reefs on the South China Sea, leaving there daily products including porcelain wares, iron swords and chisels, as well as animal remains such as bird bones and conch shells. Chinese fishermen at that time had navigated in the waters surrounding the Nansha Islands.

In the Song Dynasty, the South China Sea became an important trade route between China and the outside world. Commercial fleets, with Chinese products such as porcelain wares and Chinese coins aboard, departed from China's coastal provinces of Fujian and Guangdong, and passed the South China Sea to conduct ocean trade.

In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, fishermen in Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan and those living on South China Sea islands undertook fishing and sea-farming activities there. Remains of Chinese people's residences, wells, temples and graves were found on many isles and reefs of the Xisha Islands and Nansha Islands.

In conclusion, Chinese people are the first to settle down on the South China Sea islands and have worked, traded and lived there for several thousands of years. The Chinese people are the real owner of these islands. China has undisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and surrounding waters and enjoys related rights and interests based on historical facts. Endi