Standing firm in Truong Sa Dong

Báo Lai Châu•21/06/2023

(BLC) - Truong Sa Dong Island impresses visitors with its tree-lined path leading to the center of the island, shaded by Terminalia catappa and Terminalia squamosa trees. Each tree trunk bears a sign indicating the species and number, much like a citizen's ID card. This shows just how precious the trees on the island are.

Truong Sa Dong Island is located in the southern part of the Truong Sa archipelago, considered to hold a strategically important position, tasked with observing and monitoring foreign vessels operating from the Truong Sa archipelago southward into the southern seas… Truong Sa Dong Island is an atoll located approximately 260 nautical miles from Cam Ranh ( Khanh Hoa province). The island is a submerged coral reef with an uneven surface, making it dangerous for ships to enter and exit. The island is approximately 200 meters long and about 60 meters wide at its widest point.

Major Nguyen Hong Tien, Political Officer of Truong Sa Dong Island, stated: Over more than 40 years of construction and defense, the officers, soldiers, and professional military personnel of Truong Sa Dong Island have always been united, overcoming all difficulties and hardships, and successfully fulfilling their nhiệm vụ of protecting sovereignty and building the island into an increasingly strong and progressive force in all aspects. Combat plans, defense plans, training programs, logistical and technical support requirements, and needs for material and spiritual well-being, including cultural and artistic enjoyment, recreation, medical care, sports activities, and agricultural production, have always been excellently and effectively accomplished by the officers and soldiers.

Walking around the island, everywhere we looked we saw the green of trees and carefully tended, lush vegetable plots. The unit's grounds were always bright, green, clean, and beautiful. Major Nguyen Hong Tien added: The unit always prioritizes building the landscape and environment; the number of trees on the island has been expanded by officers and soldiers through grafting, propagation, and new planting. To date, the island is basically covered in green from various shade trees and fruit trees.

In addition, to improve the spiritual life of officers and soldiers, the unit also focuses on organizing cultural and artistic events, wall newspaper competitions, reading books and newspapers, listening to the radio, watching television, etc., contributing to a more vibrant atmosphere on the island and reducing boredom, homesickness, and longing for loved ones.

Deeply aware that upholding sovereignty is a central and continuous political task of the island, the officers and soldiers of Truong Sa Dong Island maintain a high level of vigilance day and night, ready for combat, patrolling, guarding, and training; and ensuring logistical and technical support. Alongside military duties, the island continuously improves the quality of its construction and defense activities, such as consolidating and strengthening the command structure, Party organization, and Party branches. They enhance the comprehensive leadership capacity and combat strength of Party organizations as a basis for improving overall quality, combat strength, and building a strong and comprehensive island.

Soldier Nguyen Le Quoc Nghia (from Binh Duong province) shared: "It is an honor and a source of pride to dedicate my youth to protecting the Fatherland in this challenging environment. Clearly aware of our responsibility to protect the sacred sovereignty of our country's seas and islands, we will strive to fulfill all assigned tasks well."

Thanks to its efforts and dedication, Truong Sa Dong Island has consistently excelled in its mission of safeguarding island sovereignty, contributing to the protection of the sacred maritime sovereignty of the Fatherland.

Here are some images captured by a reporter from Lai Chau Newspaper during a visit to Truong Sa Dong Island in early May 2023: