Kau Yi (交椅) means chair in the Cantonese language for the island's shape.

In 1971, the United States Navy ship USS Regulus (AF-57) riding out typhoon Rose grounded on Kau Yi Chau.

After three weeks of attempting to refloat Regulus, it was finally decided that the damage she had incurred was too severe to warrant salvage.

A container port was drawn between the proposed reclamation between Lantau Island and Kau Yi Chau.

The plan was not realised as a result of prolonged disagreement between the governments of Britain and the PRC.