Hanoi (VNA) – Having been inspired by their trips to the far flung Truong Sa (Spratly Islands), many overseas Vietnamese (OVs) have worked to spread the love and responsibility to safeguard the nation’s sea and islands.
Raising awareness of national sea, island sovereignty
Joining the 11th trip to the archipelago held for OVs by the State Committee for OV Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PhD Tran Thu Dung from the Paris Diderot University shared her great joy with other OVs and Vietnam News Agency reporters. She has just finished her book called “The East Sea and Vietnam’s Sovereignty” in French.
Dung said the scientific conference on the East Sea held in France on June 10 last year sowed the seeds for her book, which was printed in a major printing house before being brought to the national library of France.
With the participation of professors, researchers, economists and educators from France, Italy, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Canada and Vietnam, the conference helped her collect valuable documents on Vietnam’s sovereignty.
Many OVs who visited Truong Sa and the DK1 platform and lovers of Vietnamese sea and islands also attended the event to connect, exchange documents and get updated with the East Sea situation.
Dung joined others OVs to establish the European Vietnamese Liaison Committee “For Vietnamese Sea and Islands”, hoping to organise meaningful activities towards the homeland’s sea and islands.
Dung said she will translate the book into English so that foreign communities will have better insight into Vietnam.
Taking part in the voyage to Truong Sa, Tran Thang, an OV in the US, could not stifle his sentiment when talking about the homeland’ sea and island. He said he collected 150 ancient maps affirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over Truong Sa and Hoang Sa (Paracel), adding the maps were first introduced to the public in Da Nang City in January 2014.
undreds of exhibitions on the maps were organised during 2014-2015 across the nation by the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Institute of Sino-Nom studies to arouse pride, affection and responsibility towards the homeland’s sea and islands.
Thang said he went to Truong Sa to feel the sacredness and beauty of the nation as well as experience the life of the Vietnamese naval soldiers who have dedicated their lives to protect the sea and islands.
Returning to the mainland, people have different ways to spread their love for the sea and islands.
Nguyen Thanh Huong, principal of the Nguyen Du Laos – Vietnam Bilingual School in Laos, affirmed she has the responsibility to popularise Vietnamese history and culture among Vietnamese students in the country.
“I was touched to receive such a warm welcome from the naval officers and soldiers as I arrived on vessel 561. One week at sea, I feel immensely proud to be Vietnamese”.
The Party and State are working with the Vietnamese community in foreign countries, she said, expressing her hope that her students will be the messengers to bring the country’s history and culture closer to their friends.
Huong said the school’s campaign called “For Truong Sa Officers and Soldiers”, received an enthusiastic response from teachers, students, and parents, and similar events will be launched in the coming time.
According to the Vice Chairman of the State Committee for OVs Nguyen Manh Dong, 65 OVs from 22 countries and territories returned to Vietnam to join the 11th trip to Truong Sa. Feeling grateful for soldiers who devoted to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty, the OV community has made practical contributions, helping ease the soldiers’ difficulties while on missions.
Dong said Truong Sa trips promote patriotism and improve the OVs’ sense of responsibility toward the nation.
Mechanisms needed to fuel investment in Truong Sa
Rear Admiral Pham Van Luyen, Vice Chairman of the Politics Department of the Vietnam People’s Navy, who was head of the delegation, said that the policy to send delegations from central agencies, localities and OVs to Truong Sa is great encouragement for soldiers and islanders.
He suggested the Party and Government increase state budget and maintain stable capital for the construction and maintenance work and equipment in the archipelago and DK1 platform.
The Ministry of Defence and the Vietnam People’s Navy should review policies for officers and soldiers in Hoang Sa, and propose the Party and State to outline special priorities to them.
Due attention should be paid to construction of key defence facilities while rational mechanisms should be penned to attract domestic investment in the archipelago in such areas as seafood processing, logistics, tourism, and waste treatment.
Additionally, ministries and localities need to continue studying and suggesting the Party and State with measures to develop the socioeconomy in tandem with ensuring defence and security and improving the livelihoods of locals./.
