Sovereignty over various island groups and atolls in the South China Sea is disputed between China, Taiwan and Vietnam (the Paracels and parts of the Spratlys); and China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan (Spratlys). The groups are valued because of their strategic location along major sea lines of communication; use as operational bases for pirates, for resupply, for intelligence gathering; and for their resource potential in terms of oil reserves, mineral deposits, and fish stocks.