The book was written by Professor Wu Shicun, the founding president of China’s National Institute for South China Sea Studies and the chairman of the board of directors of the China-Southeast Asia Research Centre on the South China Sea. Devoted himself to the study of the South China Sea issue for over two decades, Wu gave an in-depth analysis of the inception, development, and disputes over islands of Nansha Qundao from the dimensions of history, legal basis, and countries concerned. Six of Wu’s articles regarding the past and the prospects of the topic, which were published on an annual basis since 2016, are also included in the book to provide an in-depth perspective on the situation through investigation in a longer duration. A ground-breaking comprehensive analysis of this topic, the book crystalized the latest academic research of Wu, making it a must-read for research on the South China Sea issues.