God, the Westerners want to conquer Vietnam but don't want to conquer China? Hell, in fact they like China much more than Vietnam (8 nations want to conquer China but only 1 (France) want to conquer Vietnam), so with your argument (Westerners need land), they should say those islands belong to China
In addiction, in early 17th, 18th century, Vietnam was in superb civil wars but still too strong to conquer, Dutch, French had lost every battle they fight with any faction in Vietnam, so I don't think they want to conquer Vietnam that time
It's not understanding or something like that, Westerners came and saw Vietnamese troops there and Vietnamese flags were flying over Paracel, so they wrote what they see. Understand? (Do you need me prove that there are Vietnamese troops and flags there? I'm pleased to prove it if you want)
If some say Paracels belongs to China, some say it belongs to Vietnam, we have to doubt. But in this situation, from English to Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Belgian, American, Italian... all says that Paracel belongs to Vietnam
Hell, Vietnamese maps are just up there. Ignore it? Do you also need Vietnamese text?
Neutral? No, China is not neutral, just like Vietnam, they are both in the dispute.
Westerners are neutral, and they said Paracel belongs to Vietnam, poor neutral
They want to conquer Vietnam but not China? Oh funny like hell
And there is a lot of Westerners who don't want to conquer Vietnam but also says that Paracel belongs to Vietnam, what do you think?
God, I need evidence
Where's your map?
Who say that?
Yuan forces passed there in the way to Java?
What map? Fisherman's map? Show here.
Hell, when "fishing movement" is legal to claim sovereignty?
Hell, general Lý Long Tường visited Taiwan too