Sin Cowe Island Explained

Disputed:yes
Sin Cowe Island
Type:island
Other Names:
Sinh Ton Island
Đảo Sinh Tồn (Vietnamese)
Rurok Island (Philippine English)
Pulo ng Rurok (Filipino)
景宏島 / 景宏岛 Jǐnghóng Dǎo (Chinese)
Pushpin Map:Spratly Islands relief
Location:South China Sea
Coordinates:9.8853°N 114.3297°W
Archipelago:Spratly Islands
Country Admin Divisions Title 1:District
Country Admin Divisions 1:Trường Sa District, Khánh Hòa
Country Admin Divisions Title 2:Commune
Country Admin Divisions 2:Sinh Tồn Commune
Population:31

Sin Cowe Island, also known as Sinh Ton Island[1] (Vietnamese: Đảo Sinh Tồn); Rurok Island (Filipino; Pilipino: Pulo ng Rurok|lit=Island of Peak); Mandarin, is an island in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. With an area of 8ha, it is the seventh largest Spratly island and the third largest of those occupied by Vietnam. It has a fringing reef which is above water at low tide.[2]

This island has been controlled by Vietnam since 1974, first by South Vietnam's ARVN Navy, followed by the Navy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after 1975. The island is also claimed by China, the Philippines[3] and Taiwan.

It is part of the Union Banks.[4]

Topography and Structures

Sin Cowe island is garrisoned by Vietnamese soldiers. The structures on it include a two-storied government building, anti aircraft guns, artillery and a Vietnamese Sovereignty marker.[5]

There is also a civilian population with a school, children's playground, medical station and wind turbines for electricity generation.[6]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Valencia . Mark J. . Van Dyke . Jon M. . Ludwig . Noel A. . Sharing the Resources of the West Philippine Sea . July 1999 . University of Hawaii Press . Honolulu . 0824818814 . 31 . 6 June 2014.
  2. Book: Cole. Bernard . The Great Wall at Sea: China's Navy Enters the Twenty-first Century . 1 October 2001 . U.S. Naval Institute Press . 1557502390 . 207 . First . 6 June 2014.
  3. Web site: Rosen . Mark E. . A CNA Occasional Paper - Philippine Claims in the South China Sea: A Legal Analysis . South China Sea: Facts and Legal Aspects . 16 September 2021 . CNA Corporation’s Strategic Studies (CSS) division . 19 August 2014 . The ubiquitous KIG claim by the Philippines carries little legal weight. It stands on the same footing as the nine-dashed-line claim. Also, it was made later than the claims of China, the ROC, and Vietnam..
  4. Web site: Digital Gazetteer of Spratly Islands . 19 August 2011 . 5 June 2014 . www.southchinasea.org .
  5. Web site: Photos of Sin Cowe island . South sea conversations . 14 June 2012 . 6 June 2014.
  6. Web site: The peaceful life on Truong Sa . Vietnam Pictorial . Vietnam News Agency . 16 September 2021 . HaNoi-Vietnam . en . 30 June 2020 . Photo caption: Teacher and students at the primary school on Sinh Ton island commune..