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| Disputed atoll | |
|---|---|
 Mischief Reef in 2022 | |
  Mischief Reef | |
| Other names | 美濟礁 / 美济礁 Měijì Jiāo(Chinese) Panganiban Reef(Philippine English) Bahura ng Panganiban(Filipino) Đá Vành Khăn(Vietnamese) |
| Geography | |
| Location | South China Sea |
| Coordinates | 9°55′N115°32′E / 9.917°N 115.533°E /9.917; 115.533 |
| Archipelago | Spratly Islands |
| Area | 0 ha (0 acres) (Natural) 558 ha (1,380 acres) (Reclaimed) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Hainan |
| prefecture-level city | Sansha |
| Claimed by | |
Mischief Reef, also known asMeiji Reef (Chinese:美濟礁/美济礁;pinyin:Měijì Jiāo),Panganiban Reef[1] (Filipino:Bahura ng Panganiban), orVành Khăn Reef (Vietnamese:Đá Vành Khăn), is a low tide elevation (LTE)reef/atoll surrounding a large lagoon in the southeastern region ofDangerous Ground in the east of theSpratly Islands in theSouth China Sea. It is located 239 kilometres (129 nmi) west ofPalawan Island of thePhilippines.[2] It is under thede facto control of thePeople's Republic of China (PRC) under the administration ofNansha,Sansha City,Hainan province. It is claimed by the Philippines as part of theKalayaan Islands municipality in the province ofPalawan.[3] Activities by the PRC in the mid-2010s have created a large artificial island on the atoll including an approximately 2,700-metre (8,900 ft) runway and associated airfield.
Although the reef is well within the Philippines'exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and traditional fishing grounds,[4] Mischief Reef has been controlled by the PRC since 1995, and is also claimed by theRepublic of China (Taiwan), andVietnam. The PRC performed various reclamation activities in at least two locations on the rim of the atoll in the period from 1995 to 2013. However, from the end of 2013 to the end of 2016 a large artificial island of 1,379 acres (558 ha) was created around the majority of the lagoon's perimeter.[5]
The reef was the subject of a2016 tribunal ruling by thePermanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, where the landmark ruling stated thenine-dash line as moot and without basis. Mischief Reef was also ruled as a low tide elevation (LTE) meaning it cannot possess a territorial 12 mile-boundary regardless of the reclamation and a military base installation by the PRC. Mainland China's actions only heightened tensions with the Philippines, resulting in a massive defense acquisition of by the archipelagic nation.
The area is said[6] to be rich in as of yet unexplored oil and gas fields.[7]
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One source says that Mischief Reef was discovered by Henry Spratly in 1791 and was named after theclipperMischief that sailed regularly in the South China Sea in the 1850s.[8]
Mischief Reef is located at9°55′N115°32′E / 9.917°N 115.533°E /9.917; 115.533.[9] It lies 50nautical miles east ofUnion Banks,[10] 239 kilometres (129 nmi) west from the Philippine Island of Palawan, within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone under theUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and 1,109 kilometres (599 nmi) south of China's Hainan Island.[2]
Mischief Reef consists of a large lagoon and rocks that lie above water at low tide.[11]
In 1994 and 1995,[12] China built initial structures on stilts in the area. ThePhilippine government protested these actions. However, theChinese government rejected the protest and said that the structures were shelter for fishermen. In 1999, another wave of protests from Manila occurred when China added more structures to Mischief Reef.[13]
China was also reported to have plantedbuoys in nearbySabina Shoal. The Philippines claimed that China had a well-rehearsed routine when laying claim to a new reef: first put down buoys, then build concrete markers. Temporary wooden or bamboo shelters followed, and then permanent structures went up. The Philippines therefore would try to destroy the buoys or markers before China has time to build larger structures.[13] The Philippines' decision not to destroy the Chinese structures on Mischief Reef has prevented an escalation of the dispute. The Philippines claims that China has always been prepared for armed conflict when challenged, as is evident in China's taking over reefs from Vietnam in the 1988Johnson South Reef Skirmish which resulted in more than 70 Vietnamese deaths.[13]
On 11 July 2012, the ChineseType 053 frigateDongguan ran aground on the reef, sparking embarrassment for the Chinese government and causing an awkward diplomatic situation. The ship was later towed back to base.[14]
On 12 July 2016, the tribunal of thePermanent Court of Arbitration concluded that Mischief Reef 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.[15] The tribunal concluded that Mischief Reef forms part of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Philippines.[16]
In 2014, land reclamation started inside the rims.[17] The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest against China after the discovery of their reclamation activities.[18] By January 2016, work was well advanced on developing a military base with a large harbour and a 2,644 metres (8,675 ft) runway, with the reclaimed land covering 558 hectares (1,380 acres).[19] A civilian test flight to the runway was conducted by a China Southern Airlines passenger jet on 13 July 2016.[20]
In late 2016, photographs emerged which suggested that Mischief Reef was armed with anti-aircraft weapons and aCIWS missile-defence system.[21]
In early 2021, satellite imagery and third party geointelligence analysis confirmed aradome and possible antenna mount, among other construction preparations underway on Mischief Reef.[22]
Meiji Airport | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
| Owner |  People's Republic of China | ||||||||||
| Operator | People's Liberation Army Navy | ||||||||||
| Location | Mischief Reef | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  Meiji Airport Location of airport in theSouth China Sea | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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Mischief Community (美济社区,Měijì Shèqū) is affiliated to Nansha District, Sansha City, Hainan Province, the People's Republic of China, and is located on Mischief Reef. It is the southernmost settlement by the People's Republic of China.
On December 5, 2012, theMischief Village Committee in Nansha District, Sansha City was formally established. The 53 fishermen who guarded the reef became the first batch of villagers. The villagers' homes and village committees were located in "Qiongfuhua No. 01" in the lagoon. On a fishing boat.[citation needed]
According to reports, the Hainan Provincial People's Government had planned to build a cement platform in Sanya. Once completed, it would be transported to Mischief Reef and then fixed on the atoll through pre-embedded pile foundations to form a cement platform. The platform is planned to have hundreds of rooms with toilets, air conditioners and special bathrooms for villagers to live in.[23] The plan ended with land reclamation of Mischief Reef.
In 2013, theMischief Village Committee was renamed theMischief Community Residents Committee.[citation needed]
In June 2015, after the People's Republic of China completed land reclamation on Mischief Reef, it built the office building of the Mischief Community Residents Committee on the artificial island and built bungalows for villagers to live in.[citation needed]
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