Map Supports Island Sovereignty Claim

01 Aug – 30 Nov 2012
Vietnam National Museum of History

From the organiser

An old Chinese map indicating the extent of the country’s territory and proving Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Archipelagos, has been put on display at the Vietnam National Museum of History in Ha Noi.

The map, published during China’s Qing dynasty in 1904, shows China’s territory to the south only extended to Hainan Island. The map will be on show until the end of November this year.

The map shows the administrative boundaries of all Chinese provinces at the time. It has great historical value providing international and domestic scientists, researchers and visitors, especially Chinese people, with evidence and legal proof confirming Viet Nam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagos.

The map was given to the museum last week by Dr Mai Ngoc Hong, a former official of the Institute of Han Nom (Han Chinese and Vietnamese ideography script) Research.

The display is expected to raise a sense of civic responsibility for every Vietnamese citizens in protecting the country’s sovereignty over the country’s islands and sea.