At a ceremony to hand over the national flags (Photo: VNA)HCM City (VNA) - More than 100,000 nationalflags have been presented to fishermen in 14 coastal localities and people living along land borders in three provinces of HaGiang, Cao Bang, and Quang Nam.
This part of a programme presentinga million national flags to fishermen, launched by “Nguoi lao dong” (TheLabourer) newspaper more than a year ago.
According to the organising board, the programme handed 40,000 flags to theNaval Zone 4 High Command to give to fishermen plying the waters nearthe 33 islands of the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.
Another 20,000 flags were given to the Naval Zone 2High Command, for fishermen operating near 15 platforms in southern waters.
To Dinh Tuan, Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, said fishing vessels flying a national flag is like having a markeraffirming the inviolable and sacred national sovereignty over seas and islands.
Major General Do Hong Do, Political Commissar of the CoastGuard Zone 3 High Command, called on ministries, sectors, localities, agencies,and businesses to continue supporting the programme, accompanying fishermen in safeguardingnational sovereignty over seas and islands.
At a meeting to review the one-year implementation ofthe programme, representatives from the newspaper, localities, businesses, andsponsors signed a commitment to continue to accompany the programme in thefuture.
The organising board plans to present 560,000 flags tofishermen in 28 coastal localities and will also coordinate with the Navy HighCommand and the Coast Guard High Command, and the Vietnam Fisheries SourcesSurveillance Force as well as the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministryof Agriculture and Rural Development to present 500,000 flags.
Another 100,000 flags and portraits of late President Ho ChiMinh will be presented to people living along land borders. A flag-raising ceremonywill be held at front islands, while 40,000 flags will be presented to fishermenbased near the islands.
The programme will coordinate with the healthcaresector and businesses to present medicine and first-aid equipment to fishermen,while raising awareness about the law and national sovereignty over seas andislands.
On the occasion, a writing contest entitled “InviolableSovereignty over Seas and Islands” was launched for all Vietnamese living inthe country and abroad, aiming to seek ideas, initiatives, and solutions toprotect national sovereignty over seas and island. The organising board willreceive entries until May 15, 2021./.
