The Ministry of Information and Communications has published a collection of stamps which showcases the nation’s sea and islands as part of activities to mark the traditional day of the Vietnam Coast Guard (August 28).

China’s organisation of consecutive military exercises in the waters to the north-northeast of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago has violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over the archipelago, said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.

Forty-five years after the reunification in 1975, generations of soldiers and people in Truong Sa island district, Khanh Hoa province, have steadfastly stayed on the islands and continue to work on the sea. 

Flag-raising ceremony is a long-held tradition of locals on Ly Son island, Quang Ngai province, to pay tribute to late soldiers who spent their lives safeguarding Vietnam’s sovereignty over sea and islands.

32 years ago, on March 14 1988, 64 Vietnamese soldiers sacrificed in the battle of protecting Gac Ma Island (Johnson South Reef), part of the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago.

Safeguarding Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Sea was a “mission of top priority”, a high-ranking army official said in front of the National Assembly (NA) on Thursday morning.

Many ancient Chinese bibliographies, recorded by the Chinese themselves, directly or indirectly, recognize Vietnam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagos of Hoang Sa (Paracel Islands) and Truong Sa (Spratly Islands).

The Association of People Loving Vietnam in the Republic of Korea (VESAMO) has demanded China immediately stop violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of Vietnam in the East Sea.

The US Department of Defense yesterday expressed its deep concern at China’s “coercive interference” in Vietnam’s longstanding oil and gas activities in the East Sea, and its continued efforts to violate the rules-based international order.

Coming to the nation’s sacred outpost Truong Sa, one of the simple and peaceful images impressive to strangers are island teachers enthusiastically drying shells on the sunny school steps to make toys and learning tools for local students.

Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh on July 31 expressed his grave concern over the recent developments in the East Sea, with Chinese geological survey vessel group 

The Vietnamese navy has been developing fully with five service branches: surface ships-submarines, coastal defence missiles, naval commando, naval aviation and marine corps.

DK1 platforms were built on the southern continental shelf during 1989-1998. It has become Vietnam’s special national sovereign landmark on sea.

The Tu Chinh reef (internationally known as Vanguard Bank) is located in Vietnam’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and completely belongs to the country.

Vietnam resolvedly and consistently safeguards its sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the East Sea as defined in the 1982 UNCLOS through peaceful means based on international law.

Beijing has shamelessly occupied waters of regional countries and harassed Vietnam`s long-lasting oil exploitation within Vietnamese waters.

Survey vessel Haiyang Dizhi 8 and other coastguard ships of China are operating around the Vanguard Bank in the East Sea, which is a blatant violation of international law as the area is within Vietnam’s 200-nautical-mile EEZ.

Amidst complicated and unpredictable developments of the world and region, especially in the East Sea, garrisons in Truong Sa archipelago always build a strong political spirit and high willpower.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Colonel Le Thanh Van - Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff of Navy Region 3 - at a meeting held by the Navy Region 3 on December 16, said China was trying to create new fishing areas in the East Sea.

 The Hoang Sa district in central Da Nang City broke ground on an exhibition centre dedicated to the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago on December 7.