南沙群島自十九世紀之後就已明確出現在西歐列強出版的海圖之 中，但是一直到二十世紀三十年代之前，尚沒有國家對此一區域明確地宣示擁有主權。為保 障法國在中南半島殖民地的海運及戰略安全，面對日本商人逐步在南沙群島進行的磷礦探勘 行動，法國在一九三三年正式宣告對南沙群島中部分島礁的主權。當時中國政府雖對法國聲 明保留權利，但實際上期待利用此一事件引發歐美諸國與日本的交涉，間接增加中國面對日 本侵略的奧援。相對於中國對西沙主權的堅持，益發顯示當時中國政府對南沙群島主權的消 極與猶豫。但是法國亦沒有在南沙實施有效的主權行為。除了向法國提出抗議及交涉之外， 日本漁民及軍隊持續在南沙進行活動，爾後更正式將其納入日本殖民地臺灣的管轄之下。二 大次大戰結束後，中國政府於一九四六年間派艦接收西沙與南沙群島，加強了中國政府對這 些島礁的主權立場。回顧三十年代法國對南沙的主權宣示行為，法國的行動不但沒有確立該 區域的主權歸屬，反為爾後的主權論爭留下更多的問號。

　　　　　In 1933, the French government annexed the Spratly Islands as part of the French colony territory in Vietnam. The Japanese government protested this claim, arguing that the Japanese possessed sovereignty over these islands because they had been explored by a Japanese mineral company. As a prudent step, on August 4, 1933 the Chinese Nationalist government issued a note to the French embassy in China to express its reservations, as it had not finished examining the French claim. However, a document published by the Republic of China's foreign affairs ministry shows that the Chinese decided to keep silent on French actions in the Spratly Islands, as the Chinese Nationalist government was not certain that they had sovereignty over the islands. It also hoped that, as the French and Japanese governments were in a dispute over the islands, western powers would give her more aid against the Japanese threats. On March 30, 1939, the Japanese colonial government in Taiwan issued an order to annex the Spratly Islands under the jurisdiction of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. After the end of world war Ⅱ, the French Navy landed on Itu-Aba on October 5, 1946, but did not station any soldiers. On December 12, 1946, the Chinese Nationalist government occupied the Itu-Aba Islands in the name of reestablishing Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan. Before the Chinese Nationalist marines withdrew from Itu-Aba island in 1950, the French government did not exercise her sovereignty over the Spratly Islands.