Our Party and State always affirm that overseas Vietnamese are an integral part of the Vietnamese community. According to the spirit of implementing the Resolution No.36-NQ/TW on March 26, 2004, Directive No.45-CT/TW on May 19, 2015, and Conclusion No. 12 on August 12, 2021 of the Politburo on overseas Vietnamese in the new situation, from 2012 to 2023, the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with the Naval High Command have organized 10 delegations with a total of more than 500 arrivals of overseas Vietnamese to Truong Sa. Through the visits, overseas Vietnamese have better understood the real situation in Truong Sa and made practical contributions to the homeland's sea and islands.
Article 1: Breakthrough idea of taking overseas Vietnamese to visit Truong Sa
(CPV) - In 2012, the first trip bringing overseas Vietnamese to visit Truong Sa was held. This is a bold idea to help hundreds of overseas Vietnamese living far away from the country have the opportunity to visit the sea and islands of their homeland and witness with their own eyes the actual situation in Truong Sa.
During the Truong Sa trips, overseas Vietnamese with Lac Hong blood from all over the world joined the rhythm of Truong Sa waves, singing songs of solidarity, with the desire to dedicate themselves to their homeland, so that millions of Vietnamese hearts have beaten together with the beloved island.
On the ship HQ 571 taking 47 overseas Vietnamese from 22 countries and territories to visit Truong Sa for the 10th time in 2023, Vietnam News Agency reporters recorded memories of Former Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Son, former Head of the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, about the unprecedented initiative of conducting the first trip that brought overseas Vietnamese to Truong Sa in 2012.
The Former Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized the significance of overseas Vietnamese’s visits to people and soldiers in Truong Sa island district and DK1 platform over the past 11 years.
The organization of overseas Vietnamese delegations to visit Truong Sa and the DK1 platform every year continues to contribute to affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the Truong Sa Archipelago. This is also an opportunity for overseas Vietnamese from many parts of the world to meet, exchange and closely attach with the army and people in the country, contributing to strengthening the national unity and harmony in accordance with the spirit of the Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW, Directive No. 45-CT/TW and Conclusion No. 12-KL/TW of the Politburo on overseas Vietnamese in the new situation.
According to Mr. Son, the Truong Sa trips help affirm that not only the domestic people, but overseas Vietnamese across the globe also have the sacred and noble responsibility and obligation to protect the Fatherland, the territory and the national sea and island sovereignty. He added that many overseas Vietnamese showed their aspiration to visit Truong Sa and see with their own eyes the sovereignty milestones on the sea, which are being steadfastly protected by the soldiers of the Vietnamese People's Navy.
To meet this rightful aspiration, the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised recommendations to the Government and relevant agencies on the plan to organize visits to Truong Sa for overseas Vietnamese, he said.
He emphasized that the overseas Vietnamese who joined the first trip to Truong Sa in 2012 were amazed by the greenery of the islands, and deeply moved by the bravery and sacrifices by officials and soldiers on duty in Truong Sa.
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| Young soldiers in Truong Sa |
Some people, upon setting foot on the islands and holding a handful of homeland sand, burst into tears. They cried because they never imagined they would have the opportunity to come to this place and because Hoang Sa and Truong Sa have always been an inseparable part of the homeland, Mr. Son recalled.
The 10th visit to Truong Sa in 2023 marked a significant milestone, spotlighting the determination of the Party and the State in the foreign policy in general and in the cause of safeguarding the national sea and island sovereignty./.
(The articles use several documents and photos of some colleagues)
Article 2: Journeys from heart help dispel doubts about sovereignty over homeland's sea and islands
Article 3: Overseas Vietnamese’s warm sentiment towards beloved Truong Sa