Itu Aba Island [Taiping Island], Spratly Islands
Itu Aba Island, located 10N23, 114E22, is one of the northern Spratly Islands and since 1955 claimbed and hold by Taiwan. Itu Aba lies in the northwestern part of the Tizard Bank, a large coral reef with several islands on it, like Namyit Island, held by Vietnam, and the Discovery Islets, also hold by Taiwan.
Nansha Islands comprise 104 islands, reefs, cays, and banks. The area containing the islands stretches 810 km from north to south and 900 km from east to west. Taiping Island, the major island of the group, is located at their center. ROC marines are currently stationed on Taiping Island. Facilities on the island include a radar station, meteorological center, power plant, library, and activities center.
Six hundred and eighty miles to its north lies Hong Kong; 700 miles to its northeast is Kaohsiung; and Singapore is located 880 miles southwest of the island. James Shoal at the south of the island complex is the southernmost territory of China. Taiping Island is located at 114°22'E longitude and 10°23'N latitude. The island has a land area of only 489,600 sq. meters. It stretches 1,360 meters from east to west and 350 meters from north to south. Its average altitude is 3.8 meters above sea level. Its cross-island highway runs about one km long and a trip round the island can be completed in 30 minutes. The area has abundant fishing, mineral, and petroleum resources.
Itu Aba Island is the biggest island in the Spratlys. It is used by Taiwan, ROC fishermen as a rest stop, occupies an important location within the South China Sea, and has an ROC Navy garrison. A Taiwan, ROC garrison is stationed on Itu Aba on a permanent basis, making the building of roads and military installations an important task. As a result, the island now has well-built roads, and the soldiers keep it as clean as a well-kept park. However, the construction work has caused harm to the ecological balance on the island.
The island derives its name from the battle ship "Peace (Tai Ping)" sent to recovery the island after Japan's surrender at the end of the Second World War. An interesting fact about Peace Island is that fishermen used to call the island "Huang-Shang Ma Zhi." The Hainan Island pronunciation for this name is "Widuabe." On other western navigation maps, the island is named "Itu Aba Island," which derives from Malay "Itu aba (What's That?)."
Itu Aba is a sandy cay, rising to 2.4 meters near its centre. The island is overbuilt by several buildings, used by the Taiwan's Military and several radio masts. A 25 meter high tower stands near the eastern end of the island, a peace monument in the centre of the island. The island is about 1400 meters from northeast to southwest and about 600 meters wide. It is completely surrounded by a drying reef.and holding ground for small vessels will be found ony on the south side. A second observation tower is shown in the sea map on the northeastern end of the island, and it is reported to be 80 ft in hight. A large pier is on the southwest side, about 150 meter wide, but only available by small boats.
The western part of the Tizard Bank consists of the westernmost Itu Aba Island, the central Centre Cay (10N24, 114E24) and the easternmost Sandy Cay (10N23, 114E28). Centre Cay is a smal coral plateau, 3 to 5 ft high and only covered by low bushes.
