"People are the unwavering belief in ultimate victory."

Co To, a strategically important island district of Vietnam, had the honor of welcoming President Ho Chi Minh and is also the only place in Vietnam where he agreed to have a statue erected while he was still alive. More than 60 years since the beloved leader visited the island, Co To is gradually transforming itself into a jewel island in the Northeast of the country, as President Ho Chi Minh once instructed.

The national flag-raising ceremony on Co To Island.

Flag -raising ceremony on the frontline island.

On the morning of May 9th, at the grounds of the special national historical site commemorating President Ho Chi Minh on Co To Island, hundreds of delegates from the central and local governments, current and former leaders of Co To district, armed forces personnel on the island, students, and a large number of local people and tourists participated in a special ceremony: the raising of the national flag on Co To Island to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's visit to Co To Island on May 9th (1961-2023).

The national flag flies proudly on this frontier island.

At exactly 6:30 a.m., the flag-raising ceremony was performed by officers and soldiers of the Command of the Guard of President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, just as it was done at Ba Dinh Square ( Hanoi ). To the stirring strains of the national anthem, the national flag, measuring 4.5 meters wide and 6.2 meters long, was hoisted to the top of the 29.7-meter-high flagpole. Both the flagpole and the flag were the same size as those at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi. This sacred ceremony marked an important milestone commemorating President Ho Chi Minh's visit to Co To Island, reminding the military and people of the island district to always remember his words: "Although Hanoi is far from the islands, the Party and Government always care about the people of the islands and hope that they will unite, strive, and progress."

The delegates recalled President Ho Chi Minh's visit to the island on May 9, 1961, and the affection he had for the soldiers and people of Co To.

Under the fluttering red flag with a yellow star amidst the vast sea and sky of the Northeast, attendees could not hide their emotions as they were present at this solemn moment in the strategically important island district. “No matter how many times we attend a flag-raising ceremony, our feelings remain the same as the first time – honor, pride, and emotion,” shared Professor Nguyen Ngoc Long, Rector of the University of Transport and Communications, who directly participated in the conceptualization, design, and construction of the national flag pole on Co To Island. He expressed: “Today, many students, alumni, staff, and lecturers of the university are present in Co To, all of whom contributed their efforts to building this flag pole. We hope that the presence of the national flag pole on this strategically important island will awaken in each person the awareness of protecting maritime sovereignty and the love and faith in the leader who has passed away.”

"People are the unwavering belief in ultimate victory."

More than half a century has passed since the small, strategically important island of Co To was visited by President Ho Chi Minh. Following his teachings, the military and people of Co To have united, overcome all difficulties and challenges, and gradually built the island district into a strong and prosperous place, rising alongside other localities in the province and serving as a solid shield in the northeastern maritime frontier of the Fatherland.

President Ho Chi Minh visited Co To Island in 1961. (Archival photo)

From a poor island district with a slow-developing economy, Co To now has access to the national power grid, fresh water, and a developed system of passenger and cargo ships; the district's economic growth rate has consistently remained high at 15-16% per year, the people's living standards have continuously improved, and the economic structure has shifted strongly in the right direction towards the tourism service industry.

Sixty-two years after President Ho Chi Minh's visit, the people of Co To remain united and follow his teachings.

Witnessing the dramatic changes in the island district today, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Suu, former Secretary of the District Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee of Co To District, happily shared: "Every time we come here, we are amazed; the island district has changed so much. All of this will be a driving force for Co To to continue striving to move forward, as President Ho Chi Minh once advised."

Co To is striving to become a center for island and coastal tourism. Photo by Thu Bau (Contributor)

Where the national flag flies proudly, the statue of President Ho Chi Minh still stands majestically overlooking the vast ocean, and generations of Co To people remain steadfast day and night, enduring the storms and following his teachings. This shining gem in the Northeast sea will surely continue to radiate with unwavering faith and deep affection for the father of the nation. “We are gradually building Co To into a comprehensive marine and island tourism service complex, developing resort, ecological, and recreational tourism on the sea, a place that sustainably promotes and preserves the ecological value of the island system, boosts local economic development, and contributes to the firm protection of maritime sovereignty and national defense and security in the Northeast region of the Fatherland,” affirmed Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung, Secretary of the District Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee of Co To District.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/nguoi-la-niem-tin-tat-thang-3239432.html