They are occupied and controlled by China (PRC) as part of Sansha, and claimed by Taiwan (ROC), the Philippines and Vietnam.

The northern reef (Nánxūn Jiāo) comprises 86 hectares (210 acres) and its highest point is 1.9 meters (6 feet 3 inches) above sea level.

[2] On 12 July 2016, the tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration concluded that for purposes of Article 121(3) of the Convention, the high-tide features at Gaven Reef (North) are rocks that cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own and accordingly shall be entitled to 12 nm of territorial sea measured from its baseline but have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.

[3] PCA also concluded that the features at Gaven Reef (South) are, or in their natural condition were, exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide and are, accordingly low-tide elevations that do not generate entitlement to a territorial sea, exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.

[2] In late 2016, photographs emerged which suggested that Hughes Reef has been armed with anti-aircraft weapons and a CIWS missile-defence system.