Journalists working far away on Spratly Islands

Like many other reporters and journalists, I had the honor to participate in the working trip of the 7th Mission, organized by the Navy to the Truong Sa island district and the DK1 rig in the early days of May 2022. For the first time, the honor of working in Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) has left in the hearts of each reporter and journalist many emotions, memorable experiences as well as more learned lessons.

Binh Duong Newspaper reporter and colleagues work on An Bang island of Truong Sa archipelago

Emotions at the waves

Departing from Cam Ranh after 37 hours in the middle of the sea, the fishing boat licensed KN-491 took us to the island points of the Truong Sa archipelago of Truong Sa district in Khanh Hoa province. Reporter Doan Nhu Nam of Binh Phuoc Radio and Television and Binh Phuoc Newspaper, said that the first time honor was his to work in Truong Sa. “After talking with officers and soldiers and learning about activities to make materials for the articles, I can fully feel, in the midst of immense sea and waves, that life still has difficulties and hardships. However, the soldiers here have in themselves the spirit of steel to conduct day and night guarding of the sea, islands, and nation like no other," Nam expressed.

Reporter Tran Thi Thanh Xuan of Ba Ria - Vung Tau provincial Radio and Television said that her second time being able to work in Truong Sa and on DK1 rig. However, when she came and set foot on the island, the feeling like a new one came rushing back with excitement and honor. “For every trip, I feel the spirit of hustle and bustle that overcome all the hot weather and seasickness in my trip to access information and beautiful images for the best movies and photos to vividly introduce the lives of cadres and soldiers who are working and on duty in the Truong Sa archipelago of their colleagues so that people in the mainland could know,” Ms. Xuan said.

For Lieutenant Colonel, journalist Hoang Ngoc Trieu, Secretary of the Editorial Board of the Vietnam Navy Newspaper, despite his frequent trips to Truong Sa, each visit brings him new emotions and interesting stories to share. “One of my greatest memories is during a business trip on the occasion of the 2015 Lunar New Year when I went to Song Tu Tay Island to interview a few households there. The next trip to work in March I called to ask what the children like to eat to buy and give away. The children like to eat bread, bread in the mainland. I bought 100 of them, and divided into small bags wrapped in newspaper and put them in plastic bags. After more than 1.5 days floating at sea, bread has reached the family and the children who opened the bags and the bread still smelt like just taken out of the oven. The next time I had the opportunity to return when everyone saw and said hi to Mr. bread reporter,” Mr. Trieu said.

As for my first honorable time to work in Truong Sa is, to this day, vividly remembered by the bustling, bustling, and eager atmosphere of the afternoon of the first day of May 2022 on Cam Ranh international wharf of Khanh Hoa province when everyone went through the procedures to board the KN- 491 fishing boat. In nearly 10 days of the journey to the sacred sea and islands of the fatherland, I was able to witness the life and sense the love of the army and people in the remote islands.

The sea and Truong Sa island were much more beautiful than what I had imagined. The floating islands of Sinh Ton Dong, An Bang, Truong Sa Lon  etc. are no different from peaceful villages in the mainland with bright red tiled houses, pagodas with curved roofs, rows of cool green trees, and beautifully good green vegetable gardens on the islands.

The unforgettable experiences

Different from working conditions on the mainland, our reporters when working in Truong Sa, especially first-time reporters like me, face more difficulties because the weather conditions here are very harsh. It was hot and sunny. The move from the ship by small boat to the island and the rig was difficult due to big waves, the work schedule was dense, the time to visit the island was not much, so the operation was also very urgent and quick. ... On the ship or on the island, reporters always have to "stretching" to "keep up" with emotional moments, busy interviewing, recording information as documents to write works. later press.

Operation in Truong Sa is much more difficult than on the mainland, all equipment for operation needs to be carefully prepared in advance on the mainland before boarding. Another difficulty was that the time to visit the island was limited to only about 3 hours while many activities need to be recorded, photographed, and interviewed. Therefore, reporters must have a plan for intended topics, contents, information to find out for interviews when going to the island where they must take advantage of "immediately grab" officers and soldiers to get timely information.

In conversations and interviews with officers and soldiers, I have a deeper understanding of marine soldiers. Despite the ups and downs, they always have the spirit of optimism, love of life, perseverance, steadfastness, readiness to fight and sacrifice with the determination to retain.

Although the trip to Truong Sa was difficult, we all felt proud to be able to be "bridges" connecting Truong Sa to the mainland.

Reported by Do Trong – Translated by Vi Bao