Gaven Reefs

Location of the Gaven Reefs.

The Gaven Reefs (Chinese: Nanxun Jiao 南薰礁 and Xinan Jiao 西南礁, Vietnamese: Đá Ga Ven and "Đá Lạc", Tagalog: Burgos) is a group of two reefs in the Tizard Bank of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

They are controlled by China as part of Sansha, and claimed by Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam. They have a supply platform and a reef fortress. The supply platform has anti-aircraft guns, naval guns, search radars and radio communications equipment,^[1] and reclamation work during 2014–15 expanded its area to 0.136 square kilometres (0.053 sq mi).^[2]

The north reef (Naxun Jiao) comprises 86 hectares (210 acres) and its highest point is 1.9 meters (6 feet 3 inches) above sea level. The south reef (Xinan Jiao) comprises 67 ha (170 acres).^[3]

Geographical features

On 12 July 2016, the tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration concluded that for purposes of Article 121(3) of the Convention, the high-tide features at Gaven Reef (North) is rocks that cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own and accordingly shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.^[4] PCA also concluded that Gaven Reef (South) is, or in their natural condition was, exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide and are, accordingly low-tide elevations that do not generate entitlement to a territorial sea, exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.^[4]

See also

• Great wall of sand
• Nine-dotted line

References

Spratly Islands
Related articles	Spratly Islands dispute Dangerous Ground Great wall of sand History of the Spratly Islands List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands Philippines and the Spratly Islands Republic of Morac-Songhrati-Meads Territorial disputes in the South China Sea Nine-dash line
Confrontations	Southwest Cay incident (1975) Johnson South Reef skirmish (1988)
Military occupations	China Cuarteron Reef Fiery Cross Reef Gaven Reefs Hughes Reef Johnson South Reef Mischief Reef Subi Reef Malaysia Ardasier Reef Dallas Reef Erica Reef Investigator Shoal Louisa Reef Mariveles Reef Swallow Reef Philippines Thitu Island West York Island Northeast Cay Nanshan Island Loaita Island Flat Island Lankiam Cay Irving Reef Second Thomas Shoal Taiwan Taiping Island Zhongzhou Reef Vietnam Spratly Island Southwest Cay Sin Cowe Island Sand Cay Namyit Island Amboyna Cay Collins reef Ladd Reef Cornwallis South Reef

Coordinates: 10°12′30″N 114°13′30″E / 10.20833°N 114.22500°E / 10.20833; 114.22500