Working Group No. 13 - 'National Unity Train' at Truong Sa Island, April 24. (Photo: Hong Chau)

This is an annual activity organized by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with the Navy since 2012.

This year's program was attended by 160 delegates from agencies, localities and units. Notably, there were 17 delegates from the 15th National Assembly, 67 overseas Vietnamese delegates from 26 countries and territories and 4 members of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. These are all exemplary individuals with good health, capacity and a high sense of responsibility in carrying out their missions.

During the 7-day journey, covering 1,089 nautical miles (equivalent to 1,982km), the delegation visited and worked at the islands of Da Thi, Sinh Ton, Len Dao, Co Lin, Da Tay A, Truong Sa and the DKI/8 Que Duong platform.

The working delegation encouraged the soldiers and people of Truong Sa island district and the rigs to be confident and excited, overcome all difficulties and challenges, stand firm at the forefront of the waves and winds, and successfully complete the task of protecting the sovereignty of the sacred sea and islands of the Fatherland.

Overseas Vietnamese delegation forms a five-pointed star on the deck of the ship. (Photo: Hong Chau)

On the islands and platforms, the delegation had working sessions, visited, encouraged, presented gifts, and had cultural exchanges with the military, people, and forces on the islands and platforms; organized flag salutes and reviewed the troops on Truong Sa archipelago; planted souvenir trees and inaugurated Cau Vong park on Da Tay A island; organized a memorial ceremony for heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands; offered incense at the Uncle Ho Memorial House and the Monument to heroic martyrs in Truong Sa town; visited and offered incense at 3 pagodas and Ly Thuong Kiet shrine on the islands.

The delegation organized for delegates to visit, learn, and research the reality to propose to the authorities about policies, solutions, and issues related to strengthening national defense and security in the direction of sea and islands, developing the marine economy and civil projects, greening the Truong Sa archipelago; organized to create conditions for reporters to grasp the situation, film, take photos, and collect news to serve propaganda work. The exchange and art performances serving soldiers, people, and forces on the island, the rig, and the KN-390 ship left deep impressions and good feelings.

Working Group No. 13 - 'National Unity Train' at Da Tay A Island, April 24. (Photo: Hong Chau)

During the ship's voyage at sea, the delegation organized and maintained the emulation movement "Solidarity, loyalty, achievements, determination to win" with many meaningful and practical activities; organized exciting activities on the ship attracting a large number of delegates to participate, especially the competitions: The Sea and Islands of the Fatherland and the heroic Vietnam People's Navy; chess competition, flower arrangement, costume performance; contest of composing cultural and artistic works, cultural and artistic exchanges, launching walking movements, health training... The activities were organized closely and richly, attracting a large number of delegates and officers and soldiers to participate actively and enthusiastically and achieved good results.

The delegation supported the Navy to build a multi-purpose cultural house, medical equipment and implement the Greening Truong Sa program with a total amount of more than 1.38 billion VND; presented gifts to the soldiers and people on the islands and platforms where the delegation visited in kind and cash worth nearly 998 million VND (including: Multi-purpose cultural house: more than 880 million VND; Greening Truong Sa: 160 million VND; buying medical equipment: 19 million VND). The gifts were carefully prepared by the delegations, close to the practical needs on the islands; contributing to improving the material and spiritual life of officers, soldiers and people on the islands and platforms.

The working trip helped the delegation and members of the working delegation gain a deeper understanding of the sea and islands; experience the vivid reality, difficulties, hardships and sacrifices of the Navy officers and soldiers and people who are day and night on duty to guard the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

The delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the delegation participating in working group No. 13 - "the train of great national unity". (Photo: Hong Chau)

The delegates all expressed their honor and pride to have the opportunity to visit and work at Truong Sa island district and DK1/8 Que Duong platform, affirming that the working trip had "brought feelings and brought back trust"; clearly recognized that sovereignty is sacred and noble; united, unanimous, and promoted the responsibility to firmly protect the sea and islands of the Fatherland, contributing to building a rich, civilized and beautiful Vietnam, reaching out to the world.

The first time he set foot on Truong Sa, Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Nguyen Trung Kien expressed his emotion: “Witnessing with my own eyes the efforts and silent sacrifices of the soldiers and people on the remote island, I truly felt the sacred meaning of the Fatherland. This is a journey affirming patriotism, connecting the Vietnamese community around the world with the motherland Vietnam”.

The voyage is a vivid demonstration of the Party and State’s consistent policy of considering the overseas Vietnamese community as an inseparable part of the nation, affirming the Party and State’s deep concern for overseas Vietnamese. At the same time, this is also an opportunity for overseas Vietnamese to express their feelings for the Fatherland, directly feel the breath of Truong Sa and accompany the country in the cause of protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands.

For Mr. Hoang Xuan Binh, an overseas Vietnamese from Poland, the trip helped him realize that Truong Sa is not far away - "Truong Sa is always in the heart of every Vietnamese person". As for Ms. Truong Thi Hong, an overseas Vietnamese in Israel, when witnessing the improvement of the lives of officers and soldiers on the island, the constructions on the island are more solid and sturdy, especially the green color of trees that are present in many places, she is more confident in "a more and more developed and prosperous Vietnam, as well as the determination of the Party and State in taking care of the lives of officers and soldiers of the Navy".

The delegation supported the Navy to build a multi-purpose cultural house, provide medical equipment and implement the Greening Truong Sa program with a total amount of more than 1.38 billion VND. (Photo: Hong Chau)

At the end of the working trip, the Navy Command decided to award 45 badges "For the cause of protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland" and 115 badges "Truong Sa Soldier" to members of the working delegation.

The success of the "National Great Unity Train" once again affirms the consistent policy of the Party and State to consider the Vietnamese community abroad as an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation, contributing to strengthening the great national unity bloc in the spirit of Conclusion 12-KL/TW, more clearly demonstrating the sentiments and responsibilities of the Party and State in caring for the Vietnamese community abroad.

The trip also contributes to affirming the sentiment, responsibility and contribution of overseas Vietnamese to the cause of national construction and development in general, as well as the cause of protecting the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands of the fatherland in particular.