March 14, 2010

Mr. Chris. Jones, Editor

pressroom@ngs.org,
maps@ngs.org

National Geographic Society
1145 17th St, NW
Washington, D.C 20036-4688

Dear Mr. Jones:

We are surprised that on a map of South China Sea recently published by your Society, you have wrongly listed Paracels as a part of China.

Paracels have never belonged to China ( documents attached).

On January 19, 1974, China sent a fleet down to take the Western part of the Paracel archipelago and have occupied since then. In 1956, they used a military force to take its Eastern part. They have built military strongholds on the islands, even on reefs of Spratlys down to the 10^th parallel to control the whole region.

They have claimed that the entire Eastern sea is theirs.

When listing the islands as part of the China, you have lent a helping hand to an aggressor that has violated international laws and also have encouraged China to continue to do so.
Please correct this mistake.

Sincerely,

Name__________________ and Address___________________

CENTER FOR VIETNAM STUDIES

905 Stambaugh St

Redwood City CA 94063

I. ANCIENT MAPS OF CHINA SHOW NO SIGNS OF HER OWNERSHIP OF THE PARACEL ARCHIPELAGO:

The Southmost point on China Ancient map is Hainan Island:

II. ANCIENT MAPS DRAWN BETWEEN 1630 AND 1653 BY VIETNAMESE SCHOLARS SHOW THAT PARACELS BELONG TO VIETNAM,

HONG DUC MAP DRAWN BETWEEN 1630 ANG 1653 UNDER THE LE DYSNASTY

MAP OF QUANG NAM PROVINCE DRAWN UNDER THE LE DYNATY (17 th CENTURY)

MAP PRINTED IN HOANG VIET GEOGRAPHY BOOK, 1834

III. ANCIENT MAPS DRAWN BY FOREIGN SCHOLARS SHOW THAT PARACELS BELONG TO VIETNAM

INDES, PETRUS, PLANCIUS, PRACEL, 1594

JODOCUS HONDIUS, COSTA DE PRACEL, 1606

r

INSLAE MOLVCCAE , COSTA DE PRACEL, 1617

IV. MAP REDRAWN AND PUBLISHED BY CHINA IN 2006 CLAIMS THAT CHINA OWNS THE ENTIRE VIETNAM’ S EASTERN SEA.