How Did Vietnam Lose the Paracel Islands to China?
It has been exactly 50 years since China took control of the Paracel Islands, a group of 130 small islets and reefs in the South China Sea, lying between China’s Hainan Island and Vietnam. On January 19, 1974, the Chinese military attacked a Vietnamese garrison based on Prattle Island. This day became known as the Battle of the Paracels. In January this year, the Vietnamese government stated its claim to both the Paracel and Spratly Islands, saying Vietnam has "full legal basis and ample historical evidence" to assert its sovereignty. Our guests: Lai I-Chung - Prospect Foundation President Yen Chen-shen - National Chengchi University Political Science Professor
