evidence: The Spratly Islands dispute can be looked at from a variety of angles. The Spratly Islands are a smattering of more than 100 islets, shoals, reefs and sandbanks midway between Vietnam and the Philippines. The Spratlys links the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. They were named for a 19th Century British whaling captain. Many of the Spratly are little more than rocks which barely peep above the surface of the sea. In terms of national security, these islands are important due to their location in the South China Sea, where many merchant ships pass through to deliver goods, people, and energy products to Asian-Pacific countries. By controlling these islands, the country in question would be able to ensure the safe passage of their goods. [...] During the independence from France, Vietnam was invaded by China, which led to the loss of effective administration on the archipelago. Between 1973 and 1975, Vietnam occupied thirteen islands of Spratly Islands and in 1989, it occupied three more. Since then, Vietnam has taken more features of the Spratly Islands under occupation. They deployed troops on several of those islands and incorporated those areas into Vietnam in official maps as Vietnamese territory.