VietNamNet would like to introduce the perspective of Giang, the former Vietnamese Ambassador to Brunei, and former Director of the East Sea Institute at the Diplomatic Academy, who discussed in a recent issue of Digital Cafe Club the strategies Vietnam needs to implement to protect its sovereignty in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea).

Chinese ship Haiyang 8

Vietnam has extremely important weapons and values, including its reputation. Vietnam's fame is equivalent to the 50 most elite divisions in the world.

In the war with Iraq, the US lost 12 soldiers because of a helicopter accident. If the accident had not occurred, there would have been no casualties. In the war, communications played a very important role which determined 90 percent of the victory.

Before starting the war, the then US President Bush appeared on TV and called on Iraq to think carefully. Saddam Hussein also appeared on TV with the message that Iraq would fight, even if it lost.

 The problem was that the commander of an army with 1.5 million soldiers equipped with the most modern weapons mentioned ‘failure’ before the battle.

It’s not warships and submarines, but the media which is our power. We possess an important weapon and we need to use it in an effective way.

What does Vietnam need to do to protect sovereignty over the East Sea?

When we raise that question, we have found 50 percent of the answer. If we ask ourselves what we have to do to make Vietnam powerful, we have already set foot on the path to prosperity.

Communication plays a very important role. Sea and island security is directly proportional to people's interest in the East Sea issue.

Here are some important things that need to be done:

First, being aware of challenges for sea and island sovereignty

Second, strengthening the will and consolidating the determination to protect sovereignty.

Third, mobilizing the nation’s total force power

Fourth, promoting the power of time

Fifth, building Vietnam into a powerful and prosperous country.

Communication is a part of the struggle to protect sovereignty, which is in no way less important than military, political, diplomatic and legal struggles. Communication is a front.

Communication not only means news reporting, comments, awareness heightening, and propaganda about the Party and State’s policies, but also includes predictions.

It is necessary to uphold the justice of Vietnam in the fight to protect sovereignty on the sea; contribute to mobilizing the power of the national synergy and promoting the power of the era; and contribute to the building of Vietnam into a powerful country.

Upholding justice is the most important task of communication. There are two things that need to be done.

First, affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) and Hoang Sa (Paracel Islands), rejecting the claim of the cow's tongue line, and rejecting the so-called long-term sovereignty of China over Truong Sa and Hoang Sa.

In order to affirm the righteousness, it is necessary to provide legal and historical evidence to authenticate and convince international jurisdiction agencies, in cooperation with international and domestic experts.

Communication and media have to help consolidate the will and determination to protect the sea and islands at any cost. This must be the will of the entire nation, both the political system and all Vietnamese people.

People need to raise awareness about the sea and islands. They need to identify the challenges with sovereignty over the sea and islands.

Currently, the world sees China as a new emerging tiger, fierce in military, politics and economics. This is a hungry tiger: hungry for living space, hungry for natural resources and for political power. However, that tiger has many political, cultural, racial and environmental problems.

The communication should emphasize patriotism, national pride, and national dignity. It especially needs to contribute to the strengthening of great national unity, building the strength of the entire nation. Great national unity must be based on ethnic consensus: consensus on awareness, will and action.

Third, communication needs to help build the dream about Vietnam, a powerful and prosperous country. In the next 15 years, we will become a power with five criteria: Military, Economy, Culture - Education, Science – Technology and Politics.

I have to emphasize once again that it is spiritual power which is the strength of the Vietnamese people before any invader. 

Nguyen Truong Giang

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