The island district was established after the South was liberated in 1975 and managed by former Quang Nam-Da Nang province. After the province was separated into Quang Nam province and Da Nang City in November 1996, Hoang Sa island district belonged to Da Nang City, with its headquarters located at No132 Yen Bai Road, Hai Chau district.

Nguyen Ba Thanh, Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Chairman of the Municipal People’s Council, says that the appointment is in line with the National Assembly’s pilot programme not to organise People’s Councils at district level.

Dang Cong Ngu, director of the Da Nang Department of the Interior, who has been appointed chairman of the island district, says that the district will publish a book about the island and build a museum to display documents and items from Hoang Sa.