Choose the Answer Which Best Rewords the Italicized Portion

Multiple Choice

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
China asserts that they discovered the eight uninhabited islands and controlled them until the end of the Sino-Japanese War in 1895.

A) uninhabited islands and controlled them
B) uninhabited islands. And controlled them
C) uninhabited islands, and controlled them
D) uninhabited islands; and controlled them