South China Sea

South China Sea Serg!o, Public domain

Marginal sea in the Pacific Ocean

The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Philippines, and in the south by Borneo, eastern Sumatra, and the Bangka Belitung Islands, encompassing an area of around 3,500,000 km2 (1,400,000 sq mi). It communicates with the East China Sea via the Taiwan Strait, the Philippine Sea via the Luzon Strait, the Sulu Sea via the straits around Palawan, the Java Sea via the Karimata and Bangka Straits, and directly with the Gulf of Thailand. Additionally, the Gulf of Tonkin is part of the South China Sea.

Also known as...East Sea, West Philippine Sea, South Sea, South East Asia Sea, Nan Zhong Guo Hai, Nan Hai, and East Vietnamese Sea
Vietnamese Ship Sinks, 23 Missing

Vietnamese Ship Sinks, 23 Missing A Vietnamese cargo vessel carrying 62 crew sank in the South China Sea near Fiery Cross Reef, leaving 23 people missing.