The [[South China Sea]] lies to the south of the China mainland and is bounded by the coastlines of the People's Republic of China (PRC), [[Vietnam]], [[Malaysia]], [[Brunei]], the [[Philippines]], and [[Taiwan]]. In the south-west it becomes the Gulf of Thailand. To the south the Serat Karimata gives access to the Java Sea; to the east the Balabac and Mindoro straits give access to the Sulu Sea and the Luzon Strait north of the Philippines gives access to the [[Pacific Ocean]]. The South China Sea contains a number of small island groups, uninhabited or inhabited only on a temporary basis by fishermen or by military detachments. These include the Paracel Islands and the [[Spratly Islands]]. | The [[South China Sea]] lies to the south of the China mainland and is bounded by the coastlines of the People's Republic of China (PRC), [[Vietnam]], [[Malaysia]], [[Brunei]], the [[Philippines]], and [[Taiwan]]. In the south-west it becomes the Gulf of Thailand. To the south the Serat Karimata gives access to the Java Sea; to the east the Balabac and Mindoro straits give access to the Sulu Sea and the Luzon Strait north of the Philippines gives access to the [[Pacific Ocean]]. The South China Sea contains a number of small island groups, uninhabited or inhabited only on a temporary basis by fishermen or by military detachments. These include the Paracel Islands and the [[Spratly Islands]]. |