The National Geographic Society (NGS) has acknowledged that denoting Hoang Sa Archipelago with a Chinese name and the word “China” without further explanation . . .

The NGS said that in its regional and other maps of sufficient scale, it specifically recognises and designates the alternative Vietnamese name “Hoang Sa” and the traditional name “Paracel Islands” for the archipelago.

On March 13, Spokesperson for the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Nguyen Phuong Nga claimed that “the world map denoting ‘Paracel Is. China’ published by the NGS is wrong” and requested that the society correct this mistake.

In the future it would either provide the additional explanation that was included on its other maps, or would omit any designation, said the NGS.

The press release was posted on the NGS website.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News