For the "Tree Island" in Tuen Mun District, New Territories, Hong Kong, see Pak Chau.
Tree Island | |
Official Name: | Zhaoshu Community |
Coordinates: | 16.98°N 112.2711°W |
Pushpin Map: | South China Sea |
Pushpin Label: | Tree Island |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | China |
Subdivision Type1: | Province |
Subdivision Name1: | Hainan |
Subdivision Type2: | Prefecture-level city |
Subdivision Name2: | Sansha |
Subdivision Type3: | County-level division |
Subdivision Name3: | Xisha District |
Subdivision Name4: | Yongxing DaoNeighborhood Committee |
Timezone1: | China |
Utc Offset1: | +8 |
Tree Island, also known as Zhaoshu Island, (; Vietnamese: Đảo Cây) is one of the main islands of the Paracel Islands group in the South China Sea. In 1947, the Chinese named the island Zhaoshu Dao to commemorate Zhao Shu who accompanied Zheng He's expeditions in high seas (1405-1433). The area of the island is 22ha (0.22 km2). It is under the administration of Hainan Province of China through the Zhaoshudao Village Committee. The island is also claimed by the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Vietnam.[1] [2]
The island is open to tourists. Tourists may require political examination in Haikou of Hainan Province before taking a tour there, and can hire a fishing boat from Hainan. There is beach volleyball equipment and facilities located on the island; there are also the ruins of a Chinese temple dating back to the Ming dynasty.
The Declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China on the baselines of the territorial sea (May 15, 1996): Three 3 points on Zhaoshu Dao (Tree Island) are the baseline points of the Chinese territorial sea:[4]