Misplaced Pages

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95-710: The Lufeng Nuclear Power Plant (Chinese: 陆丰核电站 ) is a nuclear reactor under construction in the Guangdong province of eastern China . It is planned to house 6 pressurized water reactors (PWRs). CGN Lufeng Nuclear Power Corporation has been working on developing a nuclear plant in Lufeng , Shanwei since 2013. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) approved the plant in 2014, starting with two AP1000 reactors. The National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) gave its approval in 2015. Site work began but as of 2023, construction of these units has not. In April 2022,

190-450: A GDP of 13.57 trillion RMB ($ 1.9 trillion in GDP nominal) in 2023, contributing approximately 10.6% of mainland China's economic output. It has a diversified economy, and was known as the starting point of ancient China's Maritime Silk Road . It is home to the production facilities and offices of a wide-ranging set of Chinese and foreign corporations. Guangdong has benefited from its proximity to

285-566: A Japanese businessman named Nishizawa Yoshizi (西澤吉次) established a guano collecting station. He destroyed the Dawang Joss House (大王庙), dug up graves and poured the bone ashes of Chinese fishermen into the sea, and renamed the atoll "Nishizawa Island". After a diplomatic confrontation, Chinese sovereignty was re-established, and Nishizawa withdrew, after being compensated by the Guangdong provincial government, and after paying compensation for

380-537: A PRC air force Y-8 plane entered the Taiwan ADIZ between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island, the fifth day in December that PRC military aircraft entered Taiwan's ADIZ. Pratas Island is located 444 km (276 mi) from the rest of Kaoshiung , 850 kilometres (530 miles) southwest of Taipei , 320 kilometres (200 miles) southeast of Hong Kong and 260 km (160 mi) south of Shantou , Guangdong in

475-594: A depth of 4.1 metres (13 ft) lies 30 metres (98 ft) off North Vereker Bank. Two to three miles of deep water separate North Vereker Bank and South Vereker Bank. South Vereker Bank ( 南衛灘 ) rises to 58 metres (190 ft) below sea level. A well head, in a depth of over 100 metres (330 ft), lies 28 mi (45 km) north of the Vereker Banks at 21°38′N 116°03′E  /  21.633°N 116.050°E  / 21.633; 116.050 . The associated production platform and SPM make up Lu Feng Terminal;

570-620: A distinctive dialect related to Cantonese called Taishanese (or Toishanese). During the 1850s, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom , whose leader Hong Xiuquan was born in Guangdong and received a pamphlet from a Protestant Christian missionary in Guangdong, was allied with a local Guangdong Red Turban Rebellion (1854–1856) . Because of direct contact with the West, Guangdong was the centre of anti-Manchu and anti-imperialist activity. The generally acknowledged founder of modern China, Sun Yat-sen ,

665-581: A form of Chinese opera popular in Cantonese speaking areas. Related Yue dialects are spoken in most of the western half of the province. The area comprising the cities of Chaozhou , Shantou and Jieyang in coastal east Guangdong, known as Chaoshan , forms its own cultural sphere. The Teochew people here, along with Hailufeng Min people in Shanwei , speak Hokkien , which is a Min dialect closely related to mainstream Southern Min (Hokkien) and their cuisine

760-499: A large number of reefs in the northern South China Sea. The protection of the island and surrounding reefs by the Taiwanese government as Dongsha Atoll National Park may therefore benefit the entire region. Pratas Island is 2.8 km (1.7 mi) long and 0.865 km (0.537 mi) wide; it is the only feature of the group above sea level . The island is made up of coral atolls and reef flats. Brush, vines and bushes cover some of

855-518: A merchant vessel's captain murdered a corrupt governor who had used his position to steal from the merchant. Together with Guangxi , Guangdong was made part of Lingnan Circuit (political division Circuit), or Mountain-South Circuit, in 627 during the Tang dynasty . The Guangdong part of Lingnan Circuit was renamed Guangnan East Circuit ( 廣南東路 ) in 971 during the Song dynasty (960–1279). "Guangnan East" ( 廣南東 )

950-608: A network of underground bunkers. According to regulations updated on December 2, 2020, in the event that communication is cut off between mainland Taiwan and Pratas Island or Taiping Island (Itu Aba), the highest-ranking local officer can make the decision to fire back at assailants. The People's Republic of China claims the Pratas Islands ( 东沙群岛 ) as part of Chengqu , Shanwei (Swabue), Guangdong Province . According to an anonymous PLA source, plans created around 2010 by China for an air defence identification zone in

1045-543: A regular civilian charter flight by Uni Air had to abandon its trip from the main island of Taiwan to Pratas Island when Hong Kong air traffic controllers told the captain of the aircraft that there were "dangerous activities" happening below 26,000 ft (7,900 m) and that the Uni Air aircraft could not enter the Hong Kong Flight Information Region (FIR). The transcript of the conversation between

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1140-519: A wider sense, for the phylogenetically related residents and Chinese dialects outside the provincial capital. The Neolithic era began in the Pearl River Delta ( 珠江三角洲 ) 7,000 years before present (BP), with the early period from around 7000 to 5000 BP (c. 5050–3050 BC), and the late period from about 5000 to 3500 BP (c. 3050–1550 BC). In coastal Guangdong, the Neolithic was likely introduced from

1235-751: Is Teochew cuisine . Teochew opera is also well-known and has a unique form. The Hakka people live in large areas of Guangdong, including Huizhou , Meizhou , Shenzhen , Heyuan , Shaoguan and other areas. Much of the Eastern part of Guangdong is populated by the Hakka people except for the Chaozhou and Hailufeng area. Hakka culture include Hakka cuisine , Han opera ( simplified Chinese : 汉剧 ; traditional Chinese : 漢劇 ), Hakka Hanyue and sixian (traditional instrumental music) and Hakka folk songs ( 客家山歌 ). Pratas Island There are three undersea features in

1330-492: Is Office No. 67. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications issued the 'South China Sea Islands Map Stamps' in 1996, as a set of two stamps. The inscription 'South China Sea Defense' from the national stone tablet on Pratas Island was printed on the five-dollar stamp, and the 'Defend the South China Sea' inscription from the national stone tablet on Taiping Island was printed on the seventeen-dollar stamp. The background

1425-852: Is a reference to an order by Emperor Wu of Han to "widely bestow favors and sow trust". Together, Guangdong and Guangxi are called Loeng gwong ( 兩廣 ; 两广 ; liǎng guǎng ) During the Song dynasty, the Two Guangs were formally separated as Guǎngnán Dōnglù ( 廣南東路 ; 广南东路 ; 'East Circuit in Southern Guang';) and Guǎngnán Xīlù ( 廣南西路 ; 广南西路 ; 'West Circuit in Southern Guang'), which became abbreviated as Guǎngdōng Lù ( 廣東路 ; 广东路 ) and Guǎngxī Lù ( 廣西路 ; 广西路 ). "Canton", though etymologically derived from Cantão (the Portuguese transliteration of "Guangdong"), usually by itself refers to

1520-521: Is also called Pratas Reef. Tungsha Island ( Tung-sha Tao ) ( Chinese : 東沙島 ; pinyin : Dōngshā Dǎo ; Wade–Giles : Tung -sha Tao ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Tang-soa-tó ) is the Wade–Giles -derived romanization of the Mandarin Chinese name for the island, and Dongsha Island ( Dongsha Dao ) is the pinyin -derived name. A smaller island with the same Chinese character name

1615-477: Is geographically separated from the north by a few mountain ranges collectively called the Nan Mountains (Nan Ling). The highest peak in the province is Shikengkong with an elevation of 6,240 feet (1,900 meters) above sea level. Guangdong borders Fujian to the northeast, Jiangxi and Hunan to the north, Guangxi autonomous region to the west, and Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions to

1710-743: Is governed by a one-party system like the rest of China. The Governor is in charge of provincial affairs; however, the Communist Party Secretary, often from outside of Guangdong, keeps the Governor in check. According to Freedom House 's China Dissent Monitor, Guangdong accounted for 17% of dissent events in the first quarter of 2024 – over 100 events despite heavy Censorship in China . In 2024, Freedom House rated China as below zero on political rights (−2 out of 40). Hong Kong and Macau , while historically parts of Guangdong before becoming colonies of

1805-563: Is larger than all, except California. By PPP terms, as of 2022, Guangdong's economy ranked between Turkey and Italy with a GDP of $ 3.35 trillion and US$ 3.06 trillion respectively, the 11th and 12th largest in the world respectively. After the communist revolution and until the start of the Deng Xiaoping reforms in 1978, Guangdong was an economic backwater, although a large underground, service-based economy has always existed. Economic development policies encouraged industrial development in

1900-792: Is located in the Taiwan-administered Dongyin Township in the Matsu Islands in the East China Sea . The area including the island, atoll and banks is also called the Pratas Islands ( Chinese : 東沙群島 ; pinyin : Dōngshā Qúndǎo ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Tang-soa Kûn-tó ; lit. 'East Sand Islands' ), the Tungsha Islands and the Dongsha Islands . Despite these names, Pratas Island

1995-696: Is now one of the richest in the nation, with the most billionaires in mainland China, the highest GDP among all the provinces, although wage growth has only recently begun to rise due to a large influx of migrant workers from neighboring provinces. By 2015, the local government of Guangdong hopes that the service industry will account for more than 50 percent of the provinces GDP and high-tech manufacturing another 20 percent. In 2021, Guangdong's primary, secondary, and tertiary industries were worth 534 billion RMB (US$ 79.4 billion), 5.28 trillion RMB (US$ 785.6 billion), and 7.09 trillion RMB (US$ 1.05 trillion), respectively. Guangdong contributes approximately 10.6% of

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2090-419: Is now the province with the highest gross domestic product in China. In 1952, a small section of Guangdong's coastline ( Qinzhou , Lianzhou (now Hepu County ), Fangchenggang and Beihai ) was given to Guangxi, giving it access to the sea. This was reversed in 1955, and then restored in 1965. Hainan Island was originally part of Guangdong, but it was separated into its own province in 1988. Guangdong faces

2185-400: Is populated predominantly by Yue Chinese speakers, though the influx in the last three decades of millions of Mandarin -speaking immigrants has slightly diminished Cantonese linguistic dominance. This region is associated with Cantonese cuisine . Dim Sum is one famous example of Cantonese cuisine, dividing Cantonese food into small portions and served with small dishes. Cantonese opera is

2280-400: Is said that the statue of Guan Gong came to Pratas Island on a canoe in 1948. The soldiers on Pratas Island built a temple to worship her in 1975. Today, the canoe is still kept in the temple. The joss sticks and candles are donated by soldiers, as was the golden sign hung in front of the statue. There is an 'Ever Green' pavilion in front of the temple which was also built by the soldiers. It

2375-811: Is the most verdant place on the island. The Minister for Internal Affairs of the ROC erected the South China Sea Defense stone tablet to declare Republic of China sovereignty in 1989. In July 1991 the Kaohsiung City Government erected the Pratas Island measuring memorial stone tablet as a symbol that Pratas Island falls within the jurisdiction of Kaohsiung City. Within Kaohsiung, the island belongs to Cijin District (Qijin). The ROC Government established

2470-510: Is the only island; there is no group of islands. Yoshiyuki Ogasawara in The Diplomat described the other entities as "essentially rocks". The East Indiaman Earl Talbot was wrecked on Pratas Island on or about 22 October 1800 with the loss of all aboard. At the time the island was known to British sailors as "Perates". In 1851, the British screw sloop HMS  Reynard wrecked on

2565-506: Is the source of the name "Guangdong" ( 廣東 ; 广东 ). As time passed, the demographics of what is now Guangdong gradually shifted to ( Han ) Chinese dominance as the populations intermingled due to commerce along the great canals. From the fall of the Han dynasty onwards, it shifted more abruptly through massive migration from the north during periods of political turmoil and nomadic incursions. For example, internal strife in northern China following

2660-607: Is visited largely by fishermen, military personnel and researchers. Amateur radio operators participating in the DXCC and Islands on the Air awards programs also visit occasionally. An obelisk was erected after 1946. In 1954 the ROC Government personnel stationed on Pratas erected a stone tablet on the southern side of the island, facing the ocean. The Da Wang temple is dedicated to 'Kuang Kang' and 'The South China Sea Goddess' - Mazu . It

2755-574: The Cantonese , Hakka , Teochew dialects have proportionately more speakers among overseas Chinese people than Mandarin-speaking Chinese. Additionally, many Taishanese-speaking Chinese emigrated to Western countries, with the results that many Western versions of Chinese words were derived from the Cantonese dialects rather than through the mainstream Mandarin language, such as " dim sum ". Some Mandarin Chinese words originally of foreign origin also came from

2850-596: The Chinese in Singapore and Malaysia , with the vast majority of the Chinese diaspora in the two countries claiming ancestry from Guangdong. Guangdong is also one of the leading provinces in research and education in China. It hosts 160 institutions of higher education , ranking first in the South Central China region and second among all Chinese provinces/municipalities, after Jiangsu . As of 2023, two major cities in

2945-612: The Dongsha Atoll National Park , the first marine national park in Taiwan. On 8 January 2013, an office of Chunghwa Post was established on Pratas Island. In September 2020, the PRC conducted air drills over the waters between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island that intruded into the ROC air defense identification zone (ADIZ). The planes were issued radio warnings by the ROC military until they left. On 15 October 2020,

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3040-634: The Nationalist government 's final footholds in Mainland China , with Guangzhou temporarily serving as the Kuomintang 's provisional capitol. The People's Liberation Army seized control of the province after the retreat of the government of the Republic of China to Taiwan . The new Chinese Communist Party administration issued harsh taxes, requisitioning between 22 and 60 percent of grain annually. However,

3135-675: The Qin dynasty . Under the Qin Dynasty, Chinese administration began and along with it reliable historical records in the region. After establishing the first unified Chinese empire , the Qin expanded southwards and set up Nanhai Commandery at Panyu , near what is now part of Guangzhou. The region was an independent kingdom as Nanyue between the fall of Qin and the reign of Emperor Wu of Han . The Han dynasty administered Guangdong, Guangxi, and northern Vietnam as Jiaozhi Province ; southernmost Jiaozhi Province

3230-625: The Royal Navy survey ship HMS  Saracen completed the first detailed survey of the atoll, resulting in the Plan of the Pratas Reef and Island , J. Richards and others, April 1858, being published by the British Admiralty. On the resulting chart three positions are proposed for a lighthouse: on Pratas Island, on the north-east corner, or on the southern edge near where HMS Reynard had stranded. In

3325-704: The South China Sea is part of Cijin District , Kaohsiung , Taiwan (ROC); the island was part of Guangdong Province before the Chinese Civil War . After the unification of Lingnan region during the Qin dynasty , immigrants from the Central Plains moved in and formed a local culture with a unique style. With the outward movement of the Guangdong people , the Hakka and Cantonese languages , music , cuisine , opera and tea ceremony have spread throughout

3420-474: The South China Sea to the south and has a total of 4,300 km (2,700 mi) of coastline. The Leizhou Peninsula is on the southwestern end of the province. There are a few inactive volcanoes on Leizhou Peninsula. The Pearl River Delta is the convergent point of three upstream rivers: the East River , North River , and West River . The river delta is filled with hundreds of small islands. The province

3515-579: The Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea , particularly the Portuguese and British, traded extensively through Guangzhou. Macau , on the southern coast of Guangdong, was the first European settlement in 1557. In the 19th century, the opium traded through Guangzhou triggered the First Opium War , opening an era of Western imperialists' incursion and intervention in China. In addition to Macau , which

3610-611: The Taiwan Affairs Office of the PRC was asked whether, in light of PLA military exercises in Fujian and Guangdong , there was or was not a plan to take Pratas Island from the ROC. Feng responded that she did not have to answer hypothetical questions. On 2 November, eight Chinese PLAAF aircraft breached the ROC ADIZ above an area of sea near Pratas Island. On 3 November, Y-8 plane entered

3705-659: The Teochew people in Chaoshan and the Hakka people in Huizhou , Meizhou , Heyuan , Shaoguan and Zhanjiang . Shaozhou Tuhua is spoken in Shaoguan and Leizhou Min is spoken in the Leizhou Peninsula. There is a small Yao population in the north. Other smaller minority groups include She , Miao , Li , and Zhuang . Guangdong has a highly unbalanced gender ratio that is among

3800-551: The "floating population", is due to Guangdong's booming economy and high demand for labor. If Guangdong were an independent nation, it would rank among the twelfth largest countries of the world by population . In 2021, Guangdong's population is 74.6% urban and 25.4% rural. Guangdong is the ancestral home of large numbers of overseas Chinese . Most of the railroad laborers in Canada , the Western United States and Panama in

3895-593: The 19th century came from Guangdong, especially the Siyi area. Many people from the region also traveled to California and other parts of the United States during the gold rush of 1849 , and also to Australia during its gold rush a decade or so later. The majority of the province's population is Han Chinese . Within the Han Chinese, the largest subgroup in Guangdong are the Cantonese people . Two other major groups are

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3990-533: The ADIZ of the ROC in the area between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island. On 4 November, the ROC Minister of National Defense, Yen Teh-fa , stated in a legislative hearing that since January 2020, 276 PRC military planes had entered the airspace between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island, activity that Yen associated with plans by the PRC for a creating its own ADIZ in the South China Sea. On 6 December,

4085-494: The South China Sea include Pratas Island airspace. The PLA's actions near the southwest corner of the Taiwan ADIZ and Pratas Island in late 2020 led to speculation that the area might be declared part of an ADIZ by China. In the later half of 2020, repeated reports of Chinese military exercises and fly overs near the island were interpreted as an apparent attempt to cut off the supply line between Pratas Island and mainland Taiwan. As an island with no permanent inhabitants, it

4180-471: The South China Sea, insuring the fishermen's safety and upholding ROC sovereignty. The services provided include lodging, medical rescue, entertainment and supply. The station also provides lodging for the scientists who come to conduct research on the island. In 2012 National Sun Yat-sen University 's Dongsha Atoll Research Station (DARS) was established for biology , biogeochemistry , and oceanography research. Diesel-fueled generators are used to power

4275-611: The Southern Song court by Mongol naval forces in The Battle of Yamen 1279 in Guangdong marked the end of the Southern Song dynasty (960–1279). During the Mongol Yuan dynasty , large parts of current Guangdong belonged to Jiangxi . Its present name, "Guangdong Province" was given in early Ming dynasty . Since the 16th century, Guangdong has had extensive trade links with the rest of the world. European merchants coming northwards via

4370-482: The Triangulation Benchmark as the triangulation point for Pratas Island in December 1991. There are words on each side of the base of the triangulation point stone tablet. They read 'The Pratas Triangulation Point' on the front, and 'Longitude: 116 43" 42.5601'E, Latitude: 20 42' 6.2415'N, Height: 2.4875 meters.' The words 'Defend the South China Sea', written by the commander, Lo Ben Li, were also engraved on

4465-428: The US flag, declared the island a United States territory, and named it Bluegill Island. The landing party destroyed a radio tower, weather station, fuel and ammunition dumps, and several buildings. They encountered no resistance because the Japanese had left the island prior to the arrival of Bluegill . Pratas Island was later restored to Guangdong Province of the Republic of China (ROC). On September 12, 1946,

4560-427: The United Kingdom and Portugal, respectively, are special administrative regions (SARs). Furthermore, the Basic Laws of both SARs explicitly forbid provincial governments from intervening in local politics. As a result, many issues with Hong Kong and Macau, such as border policy and water rights, have been settled by negotiations between the SARs' governments and the Guangdong provincial government . Guangdong and

4655-403: The atoll. Despite an offer by a British businessman in Xiamen (Amoy) to build it, it was decided that the cost was too great and the matter lapsed. It is clear from the correspondence that no one supposed the atoll to be a part of any known jurisdiction, so negotiations might have been required to ensure that any construction would be legal. One consequence of that initiative was that, in 1858,

4750-481: The destruction of a Chinese fishermen's shrine. In December 1930, the schooner Hedwig (Sweden) ran aground on a coral reef off Pratas Island and was wrecked. On 22 May 1944, the Japanese gunboat Hashidate was torpedoed and sunk by the US submarine USS  Picuda , in the South China Sea off Pratas Island at 21°08′N 117°20′E  /  21.133°N 117.333°E  / 21.133; 117.333  ( Hashidate ) , while towing

4845-412: The disabled passenger-cargo ship Tsukuba Maru . Casualties are unknown but her commanding officer was killed. Japanese naval personnel occupied Pratas Island during World War II . The Japanese Navy used the island as a weather station and listening post. On May 29, 1945, at 10:22 AM, a landing party consisting of Australian commandos and US naval personnel from the submarine USS  Bluegill raised

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4940-425: The early 1990s and has since spread to neighboring provinces, and also pulled their populations inward. The economic growth of Guangdong province owes much to the low-value-added manufacturing which characterized (and in many ways still defines) the province's economy following Deng Xiaoping 's reforms. Guangdong is not only China's largest exporter of goods, it is the country's largest importer as well. The province

5035-435: The financial hub of Hong Kong , which it borders to the south. Guangdong also hosts the largest import and export fair in China, the Canton Fair , in Guangzhou. The Pearl River Delta Economic Zone , a Chinese megalopolis , is a core for high technology , manufacturing and foreign trade . In this zone are two of the four top Chinese cities and the top two Chinese prefecture-level cities by GDP : Guangzhou and Shenzhen ,

5130-435: The first special economic zone in the country. These two are among China's most populous and important cities, and have become two of the world's most populous megacities and leading financial centres in the Asia-Pacific region. Guangdong surpassed Henan and Shandong to become China's most populous province in January 2005, registering 79.1 million permanent residents and 31 million migrants who lived in

5225-439: The government approved the construction of two Hualong One reactors, which were designated Units 5 and 6. Construction of the first unit began on 8 September 2022 and construction of the second unit on 26 August 2023. The first unit is expected to begin operation in 2028, and the second unit in 2029. Guangdong Guangdong , previously romanized as Kwangtung or Canton , is a coastal province in South China , on

5320-411: The greater Guangzhou area are served by several Radio Guangdong stations, Guangdong Television , Southern Television Guangdong , Shenzhen Television , and Guangzhou Television . There is an English programme produced by Radio Guangdong which broadcasts information about this region to the entire world through the WRN Broadcast . The central region, which is also the political and economic center,

5415-443: The highest of all provinces in China. According to a 2009 study published in The British Medical Journal , in the 1–4 age group, there are over 130 boys for every 100 girls. Religion in Guangdong (2012) According to a 2012 survey only around 7% of the population of Guangdong belongs to organised religions, the largest groups being Buddhists with 6.2%, followed by Protestants with 1.8% and Catholics with 1.2%. Around 90% of

5510-447: The humidity makes it feel hotter in summer. Frost is rare on the coast but may happen a few days each winter. In 2022, Guangdong's GDP was 13.57 trillion RMB ($ 1.9 trillion in GDP nominal, $ 3.78 trillion in PPP ), with a per capita GDP of CN¥102,465 ( US$ 15,234 in nominal or US$ 25,016 in PPP ). It is the richest province in South Central China region and the seventh richest among all provinces by GDP per capita. Guangdong has been

5605-402: The interior provinces which were weakly joined to Guangdong via transportation links . The government policy of economic autarky made Guangdong's access to the ocean irrelevant. Deng Xiaoping's open door policy radically changed the economy of the province as it was able to take advantage of its access to the ocean, proximity to Hong Kong, and historical links to overseas Chinese . Guangdong

5700-443: The island - the rest is white sand. Flora and fauna on and around Pratas Island include: In the Journal of Science (April 1867) there is a nine-page article entitled "The Natural History of Pratas Island in the China Sea" by Dr. Cuthbert Collingwood , the naturalist on board HMS  Serpent . It describes what was observed, especially bird life, during a visit of two days while the survey ship lay at anchor. Collingwood explored

5795-407: The island and hung an address plate on the island’s fishing service station. On 21 December 2000, ROC President Chen Shui-bian visited the island with Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh. On 28 July 2005, President Chen Shui-bian again visited the island and inaugurated the Fifth Maritime Patrol Squad of the Coast Guard Administration . In January 2007, the ROC government designated the Pratas atoll as

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5890-421: The island on 30 April 1866. The Vereker Banks ( 21°N 116°E  /  21°N 116°E  / 21; 116 ) are 74 km (46 mi) northwest of Pratas Atoll. North and South Vereker Banks are under water. North Vereker Bank ( 北衛灘 ) rises to 11 metres (36 ft) below sea level with an average depth of 60 metres (200 ft) to 90 metres (300 ft) below sea level. A well head with

5985-434: The island. In March 2016, a solar energy system built by the Coast Guard Administration went into operation. The system covers an area of 310.6 m and produces 53,200 kWh of electricity each year. The Dongsha Island Airport features a runway located on the north end of Pratas Island with a small airport terminal at the eastern end. The airport is used by the ROC military . A main shack and subordinate shack are located on

6080-563: The largest province by GDP since 1989 in Mainland China . Its GDP exceeded that of Australia ($ 1.70 trillion) and South Korea ($ 1.67 trillion), the world's 12th and 13th largest economy , respectively. If it was a country, Guangdong would be the 12th-largest economy as of 2022 and the 11th most populous . Compared to country subdivisions in dollar terms, Guangdong's GDP in nominal is larger than all but four country subdivisions : California , Texas , New York State , and England . Compared to country subdivisions in PPP terms, Guangdong's GDP

6175-436: The liferafts and were rescued by the USS Yorktown (CV-10) . While underway in the South China Sea on 18 July 1965, the USS Frank Knox ran aground on Pratas Reef, and was only freed on 24 August after a very difficult salvage effort. On 13 April 1996, the jurisdiction of the Taiwan Kaohsiung District Court was extended to include Tungsha Island (Pratas Island). In May 1999, Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh visited

6270-426: The local party boss Fang Fang tried to moderate Chinese land reform policy in order to protect successful businesses in the Pearl River Delta , landholdings by overseas Chinese seeking to eventually return to the country, and commercial relations with British Hong Kong . In response Mao Zedong purged Fang and thousands of cadres from the province in 1952, sending Tao Zhu to implement a much harsher program under

6365-431: The middle Yangtze River area (Jiao 2013). In inland Guangdong, the neolithic appeared in Guangdong 4,600 years before present (BP). The Neolithic in northern inland Guangdong is represented by the Shixia culture ( 石峽文化 ), which occurred from 4600 to 4200 BP (c. 2650–2250 BC). Originally inhabited by a mixture of tribal groups known to the Chinese as the Baiyue ("Hundred Yue"), the region first became part of China during

6460-402: The military personnel and gave them instructions. On 26 October, the same Uni Air aircraft made the round trip flight between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island. On 27 October 2020, a Y8 PRC military aircraft entered ROC air defense identification zone (ADIZ) between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island for the twenty-first time that month. On 28 October, Zhu Fenglian of

6555-409: The nation, Southeast Asia , and other countries. Guangdong was also the birthplace of the father of modern China and the founder of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen . He declared a military government there in the Warlord Era . The two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau fall within the scope of Guangdong's cultural influence, and its culture still has profound influences on

6650-456: The navy of the Republic of China took over and garrisoned Pratas Island. On 6 June 1949, the ROC established the Hainan Special Administrative District ( 海南特別行政區 ), which included Pratas Island. In autumn 1954, the senior ROC politician Chiang Ching-kuo visited the island and made an inspection. On 9 June 1960, during Typhoon Mary , the Hong Kong cargo ship Shun Lee was driven against Pratas Reef and wrecked. Her 55 crew took to

6745-447: The north shore of the South China Sea . The provincial capital is Guangzhou . With a population of 126.84   million (as of 2021) across a total area of about 179,800 km (69,400 sq mi), Guangdong is China's most populous province and its 15th-largest by area, as well as the third-most populous country subdivision in the world . Guangdong's economy is the largest of any provincial-level division in China, with

6840-435: The north-east corner of the lagoon the chart notes "Anchorage for junks", indicating regular use by fishing and other small vessels taking shelter. The chart's rubric noted that the available safe draft for vessels entering was only 15 feet (4.6 m), so it was restricted to relatively small vessels only. In 1866, naturalist Cuthbert Collingwood visited Pratas Island and later published a description of it. In 1908–1909,

6935-461: The northern part of the South China Sea ( 20°43′N 116°42′E  /  20.717°N 116.700°E  / 20.717; 116.700 ). An international team of researchers conducted a comprehensive population genetic analysis of 11 marine species sampled from the island. They concluded that Dongsha Atoll is an important regional stepping-stone that promotes genetic connectivity among South China Sea reefs, as marine larvae can potentially reach

7030-588: The original foreign language by way of Cantonese. For example, the Mandarin word níngméng ( simplified Chinese : 柠檬 ; traditional Chinese : 檸檬 ), meaning "Lemon", came from Cantonese, in which the characters are pronounced as lìng mung . In the United States, there is a large number of Chinese who are descendants of immigrants from the county-level city of Taishan (Toisan in Cantonese), who speak

7125-542: The pilot and air traffic control was released by the ROC Civil Aeronautics Administration . The next day, the ROC Minister of National Defense Yen Teh-fa called on PRC not to "disrupt the order of international aviation". On 20 October, Deputy Chief of the ROC General Staff, Lieutenant-General Li Ting-sheng ( 李廷盛 ), visited Pratas Island. He made an inspection of the living facilities of

7220-478: The population is either irreligious or may be involved in Chinese folk religion worshipping nature gods, ancestral deities , popular sects , Taoist traditions , Buddhist religious traditions & Confucian religious traditions . According to a survey conducted in 2007, 43.71% of the population believes and is involved in ancestor veneration , the traditional Chinese religion of the lineages organised into lineage churches and ancestral shrines . Guangdong

7315-474: The province for at least six months of the year; the total population was 126,012,510 in the 2020 Chinese census , accounting for 8.93 percent of mainland China 's population. This makes it the most populous first-level administrative subdivision of any country outside South Asia . The vast majority of the historical Guangdong Province is administered by the People's Republic of China (PRC). Pratas Island in

7410-517: The province include Chaozhou , Chenghai , Nanhai , Shantou , Shaoguan , Zhanjiang , Zhaoqing , Yangjiang , and Yunfu . Guangdong has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa inland, Cwa along the coast). Winters are short, mild, and relatively dry, while summers are long, hot, and very wet. Average daily highs in Guangzhou in January and July are 18 and 33 °C (64 and 91 °F), although

7505-535: The province ranked in the world's top 20 cities (Guangzhou 8th and Shenzhen 19th) by scientific research output. " Guǎng " ( traditional Chinese : 廣 ; simplified Chinese : 广 ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name " Guang " ultimately came from Guangxin ( 廣信 ; 广信 ), an outpost established in Han dynasty near modern Wuzhou , whose name

7600-556: The provincial capital Guangzhou . Historically, Canton was also used for the province itself, but often either specified as a province (e.g. Canton Province), or written as Kwangtung in the Wade–Giles system and now most commonly as Guangdong in Pinyin . The local people of the city of Guangzhou (Canton) and their language are called Cantonese in English. Because of the prestige of Canton and its accent, Cantonese can also be used, in

7695-530: The rebellion of An Lushan resulted in a 75% increase in the population of Guangzhou prefecture between the 740s–750s and 800s–810s. As more migrants arrived, the local population was gradually assimilated to Han Chinese culture or displaced. As Mongols from the north engaged in their conquest of China in the 13th century, the Southern Song court fled southwards from its capital in Hangzhou . The defeat of

7790-451: The slogan "Every Village Bleeds, Every Household Fights." During Reform and Opening Up , Guangdong was supported by the central government to be "one step ahead" of the rest of the country. Most major cities in Guangdong underwent liberalizing economic reforms in the mid-1980s. Since Reform and Opening Up, the province has seen extremely rapid economic growth, aided in part by its close trading links with Hong Kong , which borders it. It

7885-517: The south-east bend of Pratas Atoll while going to the aid of another wrecked vessel; the crew were all saved. Decades later, the boilers and parts of the machinery of the wreckage of HMS Reynard remained visible on the atoll. In 1859–1861, there was a correspondence between the British Colonial Office and the Hong Kong colonial authorities about building a lighthouse on the main island on

7980-548: The south. Hainan is offshore across from the Leizhou Peninsula . Pratas Island , which were traditionally governed as part of Guangdong, are part of Cijin District , Kaoshiung , Taiwan (ROC). The PRC continues to claim Pratas Island as part of Guangdong under the district of Chengqu, Shanwei . Cities around the Pearl River Delta include Dongguan , Foshan , Guangzhou , Huizhou , Jiangmen , Shenzhen , Shunde , Taishan , Zhongshan , and Zhuhai . Other cities in

8075-506: The stone tablet. The National Tsing Hua University webpage about the island states: "In addition to making it more convenient to survey and draw navigational maps, and to construct and develop facilities on the island, the establishment of the triangulation point is also the basis of our sovereign rights." The library is located on one side of the main plaza, and is the center for soldiers to use educational services. The library contains more than two thousand books. The military post office

8170-778: The terminal is enclosed by a restricted area. Exploration for oil is taking place in this area. There are also some seamount formations nearby which are not part of the three atolls: The island is part of the Republic of China (Taiwan) with the postal code 817. Although there are no long-term inhabitants on the island, Pratas is administered by the Kaohsiung City Government under Cijin District (Qijin). The island has been uninhabited, yet nations (including China and Japan ) have claimed them to be their overseas territory. As of November 2020 , about five hundred Taiwanese marines were stationed on Pratas Island. The island has

8265-437: The thriving town each erecting their own houses of worship. A foreign quarter sprang up along the river where many traders of diverse backgrounds including Arabs and Singhalese took up residence. The port's importance declined after it was raided by Arabs and Persians in 758 and the foreign residents were at times troubled by the corrupt local officials, sometimes responding violently. During one incident in 684, for example,

8360-598: The total national economic output. Now, it has three of the six Special Economic Zones : Shenzhen , Shantou and Zhuhai . The affluence of Guangdong, however, remains very concentrated near the Pearl River Delta . Guangdong officially became the most populous province in 2005. Official statistics had traditionally placed Guangdong as the fourth-most populous province of China with about 80 million people though an influx of migrants, temporary workers, and newly settled individuals numbered around 30 million. The massive influx of migrants from other provinces, dubbed

8455-505: The waters associated with Pratas Island: Pratas Atoll, North Vereker Bank and South Vereker Bank. The atoll is circular, and the crescent-shaped Pratas Island occupies its western part. Below the ocean's surface to the northwest ( 21°N 116°E  /  21°N 116°E  / 21; 116 ) of Pratas Island, North Vereker Bank rises to 11 metres (36 ft) below sea level and South Vereker Bank to 58 metres (190 ft) below sea level. There are numerous oil wells to

8550-459: The west of the banks. In 2007, the Dongsha Atoll National Park was established on the island. The People's Republic of China claims the island, atoll and banks as part of Guangdong Province . The English name of the island derives from the Portuguese Ilhas das Pratas ("Silver Plate Islands"), which was given to the atoll in the 16th century owing to its round shape. Pratas Atoll

8645-549: Was also from Guangdong. During the early 1920s of the Republic of China , Guangdong was the staging area for the Kuomintang (KMT) to prepare for the Northern Expedition , an effort to bring the various warlords of China back under a unified central government. The Whampoa Military Academy was built near Guangzhou to train military commanders. At the end of the Chinese Civil War Guangdong became one of

8740-400: Was one of the first provinces to receive permission from the central government to receive foreign investment. In addition, until the 1990s when the Chinese taxation system was reformed, the province benefited from the relatively low rate of taxation placed on it by the central government due to its post-Liberation status of being economically backward. Guangdong's economic boom began with

8835-399: Was the south China coastline, Taiwan and Hainan Island with the blue sky and sea. This was the first time that the ROC had issued stamps with the theme of the South China Sea. In 1987 the military and civilian occupants built the 'Pratas Fishermen's Service Station'. The station was built in traditional Chinese courtyard house style, and provides convenient services for fishermen and boats in

8930-563: Was then a Portuguese colony , Hong Kong was ceded to the British, and Kouang-Tchéou-Wan (modern day area of Zhanjiang ) to the French . Due to the large number of people that emigrated out of the Guangdong province, and in particular the ease of immigration from Hong Kong to other parts of the British Empire (later British Commonwealth ), many overseas Chinese communities have their origins in Guangdong and/or Cantonese culture. In particular,

9025-895: Was used as a gateway for traders from the west—as far away as the Roman Empire. Under the Wu Kingdom of the Three Kingdoms period, Guangdong was made its own province, the Guang Province, in 226 CE. Canton was a prosperous port city along a tropical frontier region beset by disease and wild animals, but rich in oranges, banyan , bananas, and lychee fruits. They traded slaves, silk and chinaware with Persians , Brahmans and Malays in exchange for their renowned medicines and fragrant tropical woods. Shi'a Muslims who had fled persecution in Khorasan and Buddhists from India lived side by side in

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