Bai Long Mei Island, once known as Nightingale Island and Floating Water Island Island, is a small island in the Beibu Gulf of the South China Sea, administratively belonging to Bai Long Wei County, Haiphong City, Vietnam. European ships called this place "night in gale", which is similar to the English "nightingale" (nightingale), and is falsely rumored to be Nightingale Island. Local fishermen call it Fushuizhou Island. However, after entering the territory of Vietnam, it was renamed Bai Long Mei Island.
The island covers an area of about 3 square kilometers and is 120 kilometers from Hainan Island and Haiphong City, Vietnam. Due to the lack of fresh water and population, the island has long been uninhabited and is only a haven for fishermen at sea. At the end of the 19th century, the Qing Dynasty and the French colonial authorities demarcated the land boundary between China and Vietnam in documents such as the Continuation of the Boundary Affairs, but did not explicitly stipulate the maritime boundary.
The French named the island Bailongwei Island and sent troops to garrison it in 1937. Japan occupied the island during World War II, and France regained control of the island after the war.
In 1950, the Chinese People's Liberation Army occupied the island and set up the Fushuizhou Office, which was subordinate to Dan County, Guangdong Province. At that time, there were 64 households and 249 people on the island, all of whom were Han fishermen. In 1957, the People's Republic of China handed over the island to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). This decision was based on the friendly relations between China and Vietnam and the common goal of resisting US aggression and aiding Vietnam, and was also in exchange for Vietnam's support for China in the Paracel and Spratly Islands.
After acquiring Bailongwei Island, Vietnam installed radar equipment on the island for monitoring and jamming American aircraft. It also served as a base for Vietnam to receive aid. With Bai Long Mei Island as a military depth, Vietnam finally won the war. It stands to reason that Vietnam should be grateful to our country and take the initiative to return the islands. However, the truth is quite the opposite.
After the victory in the war, Vietnam not only did not want to return it, but incorporated it into its territory.
Currently, the island has a total of 902 residents, and Vietnam** has launched a holiday tourism program, making it a beautiful calling card for Vietnam's livable islands. Vietnam naturally attaches great importance to the many advantages that Bailongwei Island has, so Vietnam will not give it up easily.
Is the transfer to be given or borrowed?Can Bailongwei Island return to the embrace of the motherland?Tell us what you think.