Taiping Island, Spratly Islands
Updated August 29, 2024
Taiping Island, Itu Aba, Taiwan, Republic of China
Taiping Island is a military island developed and occupied by the Republic of China (ROC). Also commonly known as Itu Aba, it is a naturally occurring island in the Spratly Islands. It is a coral island and part of the Tizard Bank. This oval-shaped island has a diameter of 0.95 miles, or 0.97 miles if you include the protected bay and pier facilities, which appear significant. It is the second island in the Tizard Bank formation and has fresh water wells to provide drinking water.
The primary man-made feature on the island is the airport, which has a runway which is 0.75 miles long, and multiple buildings and defensive fortifications on the island. This is a green, lush island with significant tree coverage. It sits on a slightly larger coral atoll with an east-west diameter of 1.47 miles, so there is room to expand through land reclamation.
This island is occupied and administered by the Republic of China (ROC) out of Kaohsiung City, Cijin District, Taiwan. It is in a crowded part of the Spratly Islands. Location: 10°22'49"N 114°21'32"E and Google Earth satellite imagery is from September 18, 2023. According to Wikipedia, it has 600 permanent residents and no civilians, so it is a government/military island. It also administers the small sand cay we call Tizard Bank 3, which is called Zhongzhou Reef, or Ban Than Reef.
Taiping Island, a.k.a., Itu Aba (common name in Malaysian meaning 'what's that?', Taiping Dao (very peaceful island), Widuabe (Hainanese fishermen), and Huangshanma Jiao and Huangshanma Zhi (Yellow Mountain Horse Underwea Mound) in Mandarin Chinese. In Vietnamese it is called Ba Binh, Dao Ba Binh meaning calm wave / sea island. In Tagalog it is Pulo ng Ligaw, or Island of Lost / Wild (thank you Wikipedia).
A note of history: During WWII, Japan occupied and garrisoned this island, built a submarine base, and the Republic of China established a permanent presence on the island in July 1956 (Source: Wikipedia).
Taiping Island, Itu Aba, Taiwan, Republic of China
Taiping Island is a military island developed and occupied by the Republic of China (ROC). Also commonly known as Itu Aba, it is a naturally occurring island in the Spratly Islands. It is a coral island and part of the Tizard Bank. This oval-shaped island has a diameter of 0.95 miles, or 0.97 miles if you include the protected bay and pier facilities, which appear significant. It is the second island in the Tizard Bank formation and has fresh water wells to provide drinking water.
The primary man-made feature on the island is the airport, which has a runway which is 0.75 miles long, and multiple buildings and defensive fortifications on the island. This is a green, lush island with significant tree coverage. It sits on a slightly larger coral atoll with an east-west diameter of 1.47 miles, so there is room to expand through land reclamation.
This island is occupied and administered by the Republic of China (ROC) out of Kaohsiung City, Cijin District, Taiwan. It is in a crowded part of the Spratly Islands. Location: 10°22'49"N 114°21'32"E and Google Earth satellite imagery is from September 18, 2023. According to Wikipedia, it has 600 permanent residents and no civilians, so it is a government/military island. It also administers the small sand cay we call Tizard Bank 3, which is called Zhongzhou Reef, or Ban Than Reef.
Taiping Island, a.k.a., Itu Aba (common name in Malaysian meaning 'what's that?', Taiping Dao (very peaceful island), Widuabe (Hainanese fishermen), and Huangshanma Jiao and Huangshanma Zhi (Yellow Mountain Horse Underwea Mound) in Mandarin Chinese. In Vietnamese it is called Ba Binh, Dao Ba Binh meaning calm wave / sea island. In Tagalog it is Pulo ng Ligaw, or Island of Lost / Wild (thank you Wikipedia).
A note of history: During WWII, Japan occupied and garrisoned this island, built a submarine base, and the Republic of China established a permanent presence on the island in July 1956 (Source: Wikipedia).
Taiping Island 09/18/2023 Google Earth Satellite Imagery. Full Island. Camera 1,599 m. 6m.
We see a farm of solar panels, signs of defensive installations, and continued construction on the Western side of the island. This is an island with an airport and a protected bay and port facility The island appears to have small defensive fortifications around the island (cannon), and many interesting shapes to review. It is a combined sea and air serving island. We see what appear to be shop items.
This island is mostly vegetation, with a airport runway running through the center of the island, and a small pair of protected bays for shipping and docks. We see a barge and boat in the bay. The runway is 0.75 miles long with a small parking area for planes on the East side of the island. We see fortifications on this island, or at least things that look like fortifications. We see round turrets around the runway.
We also see one building with signage. This island appears to have heavy anti-aircraft cannon fortifications, meaning gun emplacements around the airport and beach.
We do not see many barracks or housing structures beneath the trees, but assume they are there.
We also see one building with signage. This island appears to have heavy anti-aircraft cannon fortifications, meaning gun emplacements around the airport and beach.
We do not see many barracks or housing structures beneath the trees, but assume they are there.
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Tizard Bank 3, due east, is a sandy spit of land that is also administered by the Republic of China.
It is called Zhengzhou Reef / Ban Than Reef and is a mound of sand extending above sea level at location: 10°23'06"N 114°24’53”E. Satellite imagery dated 03/09/2021.
It is called Zhengzhou Reef / Ban Than Reef and is a mound of sand extending above sea level at location: 10°23'06"N 114°24’53”E. Satellite imagery dated 03/09/2021.
Zhengzhou Reef, 03_09_2021 Google Earth
Area
Name 1
Nearest Land
Distance from Land (miles)
Location (latitude & longitude)
Diameter (miles)
Date of Satellite Imagery
Airport Present?
Helipad Present?
Port / Dock Facility Present?
Buildings Present?
Defensive Infrastructure Present?
Athletic Facilities Present?
Hospital Present?
Sand Only Island?
Dredging Infrastructure Only?
Spratly Islands
Tizard Bank (6 islands)
Philippines and Vietnam
228 and 363
10°12'05"N 114°14’13
37.2
10/27/2023
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes (on some)
No
Name 1
Nearest Land
Distance from Land (miles)
Location (latitude & longitude)
Diameter (miles)
Date of Satellite Imagery
Airport Present?
Helipad Present?
Port / Dock Facility Present?
Buildings Present?
Defensive Infrastructure Present?
Athletic Facilities Present?
Hospital Present?
Sand Only Island?
Dredging Infrastructure Only?
Spratly Islands
Tizard Bank (6 islands)
Philippines and Vietnam
228 and 363
10°12'05"N 114°14’13
37.2
10/27/2023
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes (on some)
No