“Paracel and Spratly of Vietnam - Historical and legal evidences": Historical and legal documents affirm Vietnam’s sovereignty is true

To exhibit maps and documents of “Paracel and Spratly of Vietnam - Historical and legal evidences" (hereinafter referred as the exhibition) has taken place in the morning of Jun 7 in Binh Duong province and attracted a large number of visitors. All preparations for the exhibition were mostly focused by the Organizing Committee. On Jun 6, Ministry of Information and Communications in collaboration with provincial People's Committee (PPC) held a press conference to introduce this exhibition to mass media…

The importance of the exhibition

Mr. Nguyen Van Tao, Deputy Head of Information Foundation (Ministry of Information and Communications), said implementing the 10^th Party Central Committee’s Resolution on Vietnam Marine Strategy until 2020 and Decision No. 373/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister on stepping up the propaganda on sustainable management, protection and development of sea and islands of Vietnam, from Jun 2013, Ministry of Information and Communications was assigned by the Prime Minister to host and coordinate with other ministries, sectors to organize map and document exhibition on “Paracel and Spratly of Vietnam - Historical and legal evidences". According to Decision 616/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister assigned Ministry of Information and Communications in collaboration with concerned ministries, sectors to organize exhibitions in all provinces, cities and military units; namely, in 63 provinces, cities and military zones, armies, marine police, navy forces. This exhibition is also organized abroad. According to the approved plan, in 2016, Ministry of Information and Communications will bring this exhibition and external propaganda activities to Russia; and France, Czech Republic in 2017.

The exhibition has completed preparations and is ready to serve visitors

The exhibition is organized with 3 purposes: Firstly, through maps, publications and exhibits relating to Vietnam’s sovereignty over sea and islands, especially Paracel and Spratly archipelagoes, to introduce historical, legal evidences of Vietnam sovereignty over Paracel and Spratly archipelagoes to the people and international friends; thereby, refuting irrational China’s claims on Paracels and Spratlys as well as other sea areas, islands under Vietnam sovereignty.

Secondly, affirming righteous stances of Vietnam, upholding solidarity, sense of responsibility of all people in our country and overseas Vietnameses to struggle for national island sovereignty; help international friends, including Chinese people, to understand legitimate desires, aspirations of our Party, State and people in keeping regional peace and stability to develop the country.

Thirdly, rough the exhibition to raise awareness and responsibility party members, officials, youth union members, all people strata towards the position and role, the importance of the islands, and the need for efficiently managing, exploiting and using marine resources, and educating abidance by Vietnamese as well as the international laws on seas and islands.

Affirming Vietnam's sovereignty

All exhibits are copies of materials, documents, publications published in the country and around the world and related to Vietnam's sovereignty over Paracel and and Spratly archipelagoes. Mr. Nguyen Van Tao said, these materials had been collected in many years from state agencies, such as National Border Committee of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Archive Centre Ministry of Internal Affairs, Han Nom Research Institute of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Da Nang Institute for Socio-Economic Development, Hoang Sa district People’s Committee. In addition, there are a number of materials collected by some individuals in Vietnam and abroad from libraries of countries around the world, including China. Ministry of Information and Communications established a national evaluation council to assess all materials, select historically and legally valuable materials for the exhibition.

Talking about the values of this exhibition’s materials, Professor - Doctor - People's Teacher Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Deputy Chairman of Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences, asserted this would be a meaningful exhibition, which was a major policy of the Party and State. The exhibitions are organized not only all provinces, cities and island districts across the country but also abroad. "We organized the exhibition to introduce authentic documents on the process of establishing and enforcing Vietnam’s sovereignty over Paracel and and Spratly archipelagoes to all people around the world. I would like to emphasize that documents on Vietnam’s sovereignty were generated during the State’s operation process. These are about national and territorial sovereignty, not sovereignty of any individual. Therefore, these documents must contain historical, legal values and must be authentic. The most important thing of this exhibition is that we come up with authentic evidences.  We put all evidences on the table for visitors to be ale to study, compare and verify”, said Professor Ngoc.

Mr. Le Van Khanh, Deputy Director of provincial Department of Information and Communications, said to inform all people of the exhibition, Ministry of Information and Communications and provincial Organizing Committee agreed to select provincial Cultural – Movies Centre as the venue, because this place is close to residential areas and often has cultural activities attracting many people. Mr. Khanh said: “To achieve high results, media agencies must participate in announcing, advertising the exhibition timely, correctly to all people. Provincial leaders asked provincial massmedia to take part in propaganda before, during the exhibition”.

Morning Jun 6, Ministry of Information and Communications in collaboration Binh Duong Province People's Committee held a press conference to introduce plans to organize the exhibition and main contents of the exhibition. The press conference attracted the participation of many local and Central media agencies. Earlier, based on Plan No 2005/QD-BTTTT dated Nov 18^th 2015 of Ministry of Information and Communications on organization plan of the exhibitions in 2016-2017, Binh Duong Province People's Committee also issued Plan No. 1555/KH-UBND dated May 20^th 2016 organization plan of the exhibition.

Reported by Cam Ly – Translated by Ngoc Huynh