Johnson South Reef or Chigua Reef (Chinese: 赤瓜礁; pinyin: Chìguā Jiāo; Vietnamese: Đá Gạc Ma) is a reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea controlled by the People's Republic of China (PRC). It is near Vietnamese-controlled Collins Reef which lies 4 miles (6.4 km) to the northwest. Naturally above water only at low tide, but some sources say that many rocks are above water at high tide. It is the site of Johnson South Reef Skirmish in 1988, fought by the PRC and Vietnam which resulted in more than 70 Vietnamese deaths and the Chinese conquering the reef. Until the skirmish, the reef had been controlled by Vietnam since 1975. In addition to the PRC and Vietnam, the reef is also claimed by the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Read more about Johnson South Reef: Structures On The Reef
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