A journalist takes photos on a marine platform during the visit to Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago. (Photo: VNA)Trips organised by the Naval High Command and the Ministry ofNational Defence often include a team of reporters. During these trips, theycreate vivid press works about the lives, struggles, and military-civilianbonds on Truong Sa.
They act as a bridge of information between the remote islands andthe mainland, allowing Vietnamese people to take pride in their homeland's seasand islands, join forces, and unite to protect national sovereignty.
During the voyage to the Truong Sa in May, journalistNgo Thu Lan from the Vietnam News Agency's Television Channel (VNEWS) sharedthat this was her third visit to the islands, after two others in 2015 and2017.
Reflecting on the motivation to cross the vast sea multiple timesto visit the island troops, Lan revealed that her love for the sea andadventure drove her to explore and provide information to VNEWS viewers aboutall Truong Sa’s islands and platforms.
"If given the opportunity, I would come every year. Eachvisit brings a different feeling. It’s always full of anticipation, excitement,and pride," Lan said.
During this voyage, the delegation encountered two days of atropical depression, causing many members to experience seasickness. However,once arriving on the islands, Lan and her colleagues made every effort with thehighest spirit to carry out their work.
Television reporters faced challenges while moving their equipmentaround, hauling cameras, microphones, gimbals, and more. The female editorsoften had to shoulder the responsibility of carrying equipment and filming.They had to work diligently to capture beautiful and comprehensive shots sincethe time spent on the islands was limited.
Lan said that each time she sets foot on Truong Sa, she tries toseize every moment to talk with the soldiers and residents on the island tofully reflect their lives to viewers.
"Working in Truong Sa brings me a peculiar sense of sanctity.The island soldiers possess unwavering political fortitude and resilienceamidst countless challenges to firmly protect the sacred seas and islands ofthe nation. They serve as motivation for all of us," she said.
Nurturing love for the homeland
During the voyage on ship 571 to Truong Sa in April, journalistGiang Hai, head of Content Production at the VTC1 Political News Channelaccompanied 220 delegates, including close to 50 overseas Vietnamese currentlyresiding in more than 20 countries and territories.
This was his second visit to Truong Sa. His excitement andemotions remained just like the first time.
"To visit this sacred land of the nation has always been adesire and dream of every Vietnamese person,” he said.
After this trip, the love for the homeland within himself andamong the overseas Vietnamese was nurtured and grew with sufficient feelingsand understanding of Vietnam's island and seas.
Hai recalled the six-day voyage, where he witnessed the soldiersof the Vietnam People's Army standing guard with their weapons. Once again, heand the entire delegation had the opportunity to learn about the history of thegenerations of soldiers who fought for and preserved the sovereignty of theseas and islands.
Many shed tears during the ceremony to commemorate the heroes andmartyrs who were sacrificed in the Gac Ma Battle on March 14, 1988. They couldnot hide their emotions when learning that even in peacetime, Second LieutenantTa Ngoc Tu sacrificed his life while monitoring a suspicious target in thedarkness on Platform DK1/16 in Phuc Tan Shoal.
During his visit, Hai took every opportunity to convey informationabout Truong Sa, such as the hardships the soldiers face at the forefront ofthe nation; the daily lives of the island residents; and cultural exchangeswith officers and soldiers on the islands and the mainland.
These valuable materials helped him complete the documentary film Coi Nguon Vietnam (The Roots of Vietnam),which aired at the time of the Hùng Kings' Commemoration Day this year.
Reporter Chu Van Chinh from VTV4 said that the working trip to TruongSa this April allowed him to meet people from around the world, fostering adeeper love for the country and the islands.
Chinh said after travelling thousands of nautical miles at sea,good health is certainly a prerequisite for every journalist who wishes to workeffectively on the islands.
Chinh experienced a tight schedule to visit four islands and oneplatform in six days while he carried ten kilogrammes of equipment, includingcameras, tripods, and microphones, to go up and down the islands.
"Carrying cameras and walking under the scorching sun aroundthe large islands is extremely challenging for filmmakers. However, thehardships are worthwhile to bring beautiful and authentic images of the livesof the military and civilians on the islands to the people across the countryand our overseas Vietnamese,” he said.
One thing Chinh remembered most was the absence of phone signal onthe islands or during the entire voyage, creating a unique experience in hiscareer.
Connecting remote islands with the mainland
Truong Sa island district in the south-central province of KhanhHoa now feels closer to the mainland as information about the lives ofofficers, soldiers, and people living and working beyond the sea is regularlyupdated through various media channels.
Every day, the journalists wake up at 5am to prepare theirequipment for work. They capture precious moments of the lives and emotions ofthe soldiers and people living in the most distant places of the nation.
Journalists always strive to produce works full of emotions,contributing to sharing an authentic and vivid portrayal of the lives,struggles, and emotions of the military and civilians in the remote islands./.
VNA
