SEA VOYAGES TO PARACEL ISLANDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA UNDER EMPEROR MINH MANG (1833-1838), AN ANALYSES OF HISTORICAL DATA - DESCRIPTION

The Official Documentation of the Nguyen dynasty is a type of administrative documentation of the House of Nguyen (1802-1945) on which reserved the king's handwritten feedback in red ink. The Official documentation about the implementation of Vietnam's sovereignty over Paracel Islands (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos includes 19 documents, 12 of that (from document no. 5 to no. 16) reflect mission sea voyages of the fleet heading to Paracel Islands archipelagos from late March to late June, from 1833 to 1838. The following are the main features of these activities include: (i) in each sea voyage, they had different tasks such as measuring and mapping; bringing materials to build the temple…; (ii) The activities during this period under King Minh Menh clearly showed the strict management and the responsibility of the national leader to the national territory in general and islands in particular; (iii) the territory acquire the nationality in Paracel Islands from 1833 to 1838, which was the continuity of a process established by the Nguyen Lords from hundreds of years ago.