Over 100,000 national flags presented to fishermen

At a ceremony to hand over the national flags (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) - More than 100,000 national flags have been presented to fishermen in 14 coastal localities and people living along land borders in three provinces of Ha Giang, Cao Bang, and Quang Nam.

This part of a programme presenting a million national flags to fishermen, launched by “Nguoi lao dong” (The Labourer) newspaper more than a year ago.

According to the organising board, the programme handed 40,000 flags to the Naval Zone 4 High Command to give to fishermen plying the waters near the 33 islands of the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

Another 20,000 flags were given to the Naval Zone 2 High Command, for fishermen operating near 15 platforms in southern waters.

To Dinh Tuan, Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, said fishing vessels flying a national flag is like having a marker affirming the inviolable and sacred national sovereignty over seas and islands.

Major General Do Hong Do, Political Commissar of the Coast Guard Zone 3 High Command, called on ministries, sectors, localities, agencies, and businesses to continue supporting the programme, accompanying fishermen in safeguarding national sovereignty over seas and islands.

At a meeting to review the one-year implementation of the programme, representatives from the newspaper, localities, businesses, and sponsors signed a commitment to continue to accompany the programme in the future.

The organising board plans to present 560,000 flags to fishermen in 28 coastal localities and will also coordinate with the Navy High Command and the Coast Guard High Command, and the Vietnam Fisheries Sources Surveillance Force as well as the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to present 500,000 flags.

Another 100,000 flags and portraits of late President Ho Chi Minh will be presented to people living along land borders. A flag-raising ceremony will be held at front islands, while 40,000 flags will be presented to fishermen based near the islands.

The programme will coordinate with the healthcare sector and businesses to present medicine and first-aid equipment to fishermen, while raising awareness about the law and national sovereignty over seas and islands.

On the occasion, a writing contest entitled “Inviolable Sovereignty over Seas and Islands” was launched for all Vietnamese living in the country and abroad, aiming to seek ideas, initiatives, and solutions to protect national sovereignty over seas and island. The organising board will receive entries until May 15, 2021./.