The disputed island situates between Taiwan and Okinawa (its previous name was Ryukyu).
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This island, off the southwestern coast of Taiwan, is the only offshore island of the outlying islands that is composed of coral.
If China were allowed to subjugate Taiwan, the PLA would probably occupy the island or at least enjoy extensive use of its facilities, not to mention any Taiwan weaponry that survives the cross-strait conflict (the island has hundreds of F-16s and Mirage 2000 fighter jets).
In 17 century, Taiwan became part of China and Chinese named the disputed islands as Diaoyu Island, many ancient maps, including some made by Japanese, pointing that Diaoyu Island belongs to the administration of Taiwan.
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In the 1980s, CAL grew along with Taiwan as the island became an economic powerhouse.
Unlike bland, austere northern Taiwan, Green Island is a sparkling paradise, a volcanic island where the sea is always blue and the weather sunny and warm.
Taiwan is an overcrowded island of 22m people, whose roads, railways and even internal air-routes are clogged.
It knows that high production costs in Taiwan are forcing the island's manufacturers to move elsewhere to stay competitive.
Some in Taiwan argue that the island's defensive strategy will soon no longer provide a minimal credible deterrence to China.
But they have not yet scrapped or postponed a planned visit to the island this fall of their top Taiwan negotiator, Wang Daohan.
Taiwan also claims the island chain, known as Diaoyutai in Taipei.
China, as part of its gambit to get on better with Taiwan (and lead the island to reunify with it politically without the use of force) since 2008, has offered joint gas exploration, but not much word on the results.
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Some Pacific island-states have stayed loyal, and Taiwan's ties with the Caribbean and Central America remain strong.
When Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists were driven out of China, they adopted interventionist economic policies in Taiwan and nationalized dozens of major businesses-such as the Bank of Taiwan, still one of the island's biggest banks.
Just 10 minutes by air from Taiwan's southeast coast, Green Island is rapidly becoming one of the region's hottest vacation spots.
This will be the first delegation to represent Taiwan at a UN event since the island lost its seat to China in 1971.
And if China is able to destroy the bulk of Taiwan's defense capability, the island would be wholly dependent on U.S. protection for its survival.
China's low costs are luring Taiwan's manufacturers, hollowing out the island's industrial base.
This includes much more than the Spratlys, an island group long claimed by Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan too.
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