Recently, after a Dutch naval vessel illegally intruded into China's territorial waters near Xisha Qundao, prompting the Southern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to dispatch naval and air forces to warn and expel the vessel in accordance with the law. The incident has once again brought China’s sovereignty over Xisha Qundao into public focus.

The Voice of the South China Sea takes a closer look at a China-British commercial dispute dating back more than a century, tracing authoritative historical records and speaking with scholars specializing in the history of the South China Sea. 

Through these historical fragments, we piece together the truth about China’s sovereignty over Xisha Qundao.