Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh at the event (Photo: VNA) Addressing the event, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh said themed “For Our Future”, the Vietnam Seas and Islands Week 2017 from June 1-8 aims to raise public awareness of the importance of seas and islands, the responsibility towards sea and island sovereignty protection, and the management and sustainable development of marine resources and environment.
She emphasised that generations of Vietnamese people have sacrificed their lives to establish and protect the country’s maritime territory. It is necessary to combine defence-security tasks with socio-economic development activities in sea and island areas, proactively protect the country’s rights and interests, and attract resources for developing the sea-based economy.
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha said seas and oceans make up two-thirds of the earth’s surface area and are a critical to human life. However, they are being seriously threatened by human activities.
This year’s World Oceans Day is themed “Our Oceans, Our Future”, which calls for people’s unity in protecting oceans, the life and the planet, he noted.
Despite considerable achievements in the 10 years of implementing the Vietnam Sea Strategy towards 2020, the country is still facing a number of major challenges, including marine resources overexploitation, marine pollution, and flaws in marine environment management.
Ha added the World Oceans Day and the Vietnam Seas and Islands Week are an occasion to strengthen the commitment to protecting seas and islands, optimise marine advantages to boost economic development, and maintain the huge values of seas and oceans, thereby joining global efforts to protect oceans.
At the ceremony, Vice President Thinh and other participants released shrimp and fish fry into the sea and planted trees on Khai Long beach of Dat Mui commune. They also presented gifts to soldiers and residents in Hon Chuoi Island of Ca Mau province.-VNA
VNA
