State Administration and Sovereignty over Paracel and Spratly Archipelagos from 17th Century to 1945

Abstract

According to international law and conventions, national sovereignty over an area of land or water must be established in the name of a state. Based on these criteria, the paper describes systematically official documents on the performance of administration and sovereignty over the Paracel and the Spratly Archipelagos, including the documents of the Vietnamese feudal governments from the 17^th century to 1884, the documents of the colonial government, and the Nguyen dynasty from 1884 to 1945. Since 1600s, the feudal dynasties in Vietnam, including both the central and local authorities, occupied the Paracel and Spratly Archipelagos, as well as other islands and waters, when they remained an unoccupied territory. The occupation and implementation of sovereignty took place, continually, and peacefully. It complied with international law and practice and was recognised and supported by many countries and organisations. They provide convincing legal evidence to prove that Vietnam implemented state administration on the Paracel and the Spratly Archipelagos continually and peacefully from the 17^th century to 1945.