Once the Cultural Revolution ended, China started to embrace back expansionism. In 1974, China launched its first naval expedition to invade Paracel Islands and defeated the 50-strong South Vietnamese garrison. The event was the first sign of returning Chinese expansionism in China. Tensions triggered between China and later unified communist Vietnam led to the Sino-Vietnamese War of 1979. Although this was a short war, it is still seen as a sign of Chinese expansionism in Vietnam. China and Vietnam later fought another bitter skirmish in South China Sea at 1988, resulting in China's consolidation of some occupied islands.