The process of exploring and establishing Vietnam's sovereignty over the Southern region: Every inch of land is a historical journey

On the morning of October 22, the National Border Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized a talk to share and exchange about the process of exploring and establishing Vietnam's sovereignty over the Southern region. Prof. Dr. People's Teacher Nguyen Quang Ngoc, author of the book "The Process of Discovering and Establishing Vietnam's Sovereignty over the Southern Region", attended and spoke.

Chairman of the National Border Committee Trinh Duc Hai delivered the opening speech of the program. (Photo: Lien Anh)

The talk was also attended by Chairman of the National Border Committee Trinh Duc Hai; along with officials, civil servants and public employees working in related fields.

The program is part of a series of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the National Border Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs ; with the desire to promote training, fostering, improving capacity and professional skills for young cadres, especially cadres working on territorial borders.

In his opening speech, Mr. Trinh Duc Hai, Chairman of the National Border Committee, emphasized the value of the topic's content and expressed his honor to welcome Prof. Dr. People's Teacher Nguyen Quang Ngoc - a leading historian and author of a famous research work on the process of exploring and establishing Vietnam's sovereignty in the Southern region, where every inch of land was built with the sweat and blood of many generations of pioneers.

Mr. Trinh Duc Hai affirmed that in foreign affairs and territorial border diplomacy, special attention and research on historical issues is needed, because "all solutions originate from history". Therefore, the content of this topic and the sharing of Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc have practical significance for the officials attending the talk.

Prof. Dr. People's Teacher Nguyen Quang Ngoc shared at the event. (Photo: Lien Anh)

At the talk, Prof. Dr. People's Teacher Nguyen Quang Ngoc shared his initial thoughts on his journey of more than half a century of studying history and territorial sovereignty. Accordingly, he began his historical research career in 1969, when he studied at the Faculty of History, Hanoi National University.

Since 1977, the professor returned to teach at this same school, focusing on research on the economic and social history of Vietnam in the medieval period. In 1992, the historian was assigned to be in charge of the topic "Vietnam's sovereignty over Hoang Sa - Truong Sa", a notable milestone in his research career.

Since then, he has continued to participate in many research activities, document appraisals as well as domestic and international exhibitions and scientific conferences on sovereignty and territory.

Regarding the book The process of land reclamation and establishment of Vietnam's sovereignty over the Southern region , Professor Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc said that the book consists of 442 pages, with 9 chapters presented in 3 parts. Part one: Land reclamation, establishment and protection of Dang Trong's sovereignty from the beginning of the 17th century to the end of the 18th century. Part two: Expanding forms of land reclamation, building a unified Vietnamese administration from the beginning of the 19th century to 1862. Part three: Achievements and consequences of land reclamation, establishing Vietnam's sovereignty over the same Southern region in the 17th-19th centuries.

Overview of the thematic talk. (Photo: Lien Anh)

In the content shared, the historian also presented the origin of the Southern region today. On the basis of Dong Nai culture, the pre-Oc Eo period gradually formed and developed into Oc Eo culture. Oc Eo culture is considered the origin and foundation of the formation of the first Phu Nam kingdom.

The distribution space of the early Kingdom of Funan was mainly in the present-day Southern territory, including both the Eastern and Western regions of the South. Research on the South needs to distinguish between the first Kingdom of Funan and the later Funan Empire.

In particular, when referring to the verse of author Nguyen Khoa Diem in the poem Country : "They carry the name of the commune, the name of the village in each migration trip", Professor, Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc said that the process of Vietnamese people moving to the South is not only a shift in residential space, but also a continuation of community identity, customs and memories of origin. This is the thread that connects people between all regions of the country, contributing to creating the foundation for forming the identity of the Southern region.

Prof. Dr. People's Teacher Nguyen Quang Ngoc presents books to the National Border Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (Photo: Lien Anh)

The talk took place in an open atmosphere, with opinions shared and exchanged frankly, focusing on the core issues of the topic. The sharing of Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc has profound theoretical and practical significance for the staff, especially young staff working in the field of borders and territories.

At the end of the program, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc presented the National Border Committee with the book series Southern Land - The Process of Formation and Development along with other books, contributing more valuable resources to serve the research work on history and territorial sovereignty.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/qua-trinh-khai-pha-va-xac-lap-chu-quyen-cua-viet-nam-tren-vung-dat-nam-bo-moi-tac-dat-la-mot-hanh-trinh-lich-su-331806.html