It forms part of the boundary between the East and South China Seas at the north end of the Taiwan Strait.

[16] A 1901 sailing manual describes the island as being about 218 feet high, having two islets, and dangerous rocks to the north and south.

[17] The manual describes the light: The SS San Pablo was owned by the Occidental and Oriental Steamship Company.

There was a thick fog, and the ship ran aground north of Turnabout Island at about 3:30 in the morning.

During a second attack, the pirates gained the main deck, but were beaten back with steam hoses.

Japanese troops then occupied the island and constructed a temporary lighthouse and a radio station.

At one point, a single Japanese guard was watching a group of Chinese; they killed him and gained his weapon.

On 25 October 1944, the USS Tang (SS-306) discovered a large, well-protected, convoy near Turnabout Island.

The Japanese government had obtained safe passage for the vessel as a Red Cross relief ship.

[citation needed] In August 2013, Typhoon Trami brought winds reaching 163.4 km per hour to the island.