West Sand

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West Sand {{Coord|16|58|39|N|112|12|43|E}} ({{zh|c=西沙洲|p=Xīshā-zhōu}}; {{langx|vi|Cồn Cát Tây}}) is a sand cay located in the northwest of the Amphitrite Group of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.[http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/ GEOnet Names Server (GNS)] It is approximately {{convert|4|nmi|km}} west of Tree Island.

West Sand is administered by the People's Republic of China. Being a part of the disputed Paracel Islands, the entity is also claimed by the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Vietnam.{{cite web |script-title=zh:19.海南諸島礁名稱 |url=http://sowf.moi.gov.tw/stat/year/y05-19.xls |publisher=Department of Social Affairs, Ministry of the Interior (Republic of China) |access-date=20 March 2013 |language=zh}}{{cite web |url=http://www.danangcity.gov.vn/portal/page/portal/danang/chinhquyen/gioi_thieu/don_vi_hanh_chinh?p_pers_id=&p_folder_id=6904276&p_main_news_id=8981394&p_year_sel= |title=Huyện đảo Hoàng Sa |publisher=Da Nang Portal |access-date=20 March 2013 |language=vi}}

In July 2014, the PRC announced an investment plan of 18 million yuan (about 2.92 million U.S. dollars) that "will be used to build desalination systems and grow trees on Xishazhou Island in the hope of turning the island into a new oasis".{{cite web |url= http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-07/30/c_133520232.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140913172536/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-07/30/c_133520232.htm |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 13, 2014 |title= China Focus: South China islands see green transformation |date= 30 July 2014 |access-date= 13 September 2014 |work= news.xinhuanet.com}} In April 2017, Xinhua published pictures of the current state of the forestation project, with trees going on most of the island.[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-04/25/c_136235223_11.htm Beautiful scenery of south China's Sansha City]. Retrieved 2017-04-27.