An exhibition entitled “Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelagos of Viet Nam - Historical Evidence” will be held at the Museum of Da Nang, 24 Tran Phu Street, from 19 - 25 January.  It is being co-organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications and the municipal People’s Committee. 

The event is one of a series marking the 40^th anniversary of the day China completed their military occupation of Viet Nam's Hoang Sa Islands (19 January 1974).

The exhibition will showcase a number of documents in Han characters (Chinese script), and those in the Vietnamese and French languages issued by Vietnamese feudal states from the 17^th to the early 20^th centuries.  Nineteen of them were issued during the Nguyen dynasty.  They all prove that Viet Nam has so far established and exercised its national sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos in a peaceful manner, and in accordance with international laws.

The exhibition in Ha Noi (Source: VOV)

Numerous maps, which show that the two archipelagos are integral parts of Viet Nam's territory, will also be available for visitors to see.  These maps were published by Viet Nam, China, and some Western countries from the 16^th to the 18^th centuries.  Also on display will be 102 books, all confirming Viet Nam’s legitimate sovereignty over these archipelagos.  They were published in some Western countries between the 18^th and 19^th centuries. 

Four atlases will be displayed which were published in the UK, Germany, Australia, Canada, the USA and Hong Kong between 1626 and 1980.  Of these, a collection of maps shows China’s southern-most border as being Hainan Island.   Another collection indicates that the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos belong to Viet Nam, whilst some trade and maritime maps from Asia and the South East Asia region also affirm that the archipelagos are in the waters of Viet Nam.

A number of other documents will be introduced at the event, which all reflect the frequent presence of Viet Nam’s military forces in the Hoang Sa archipelago and adjacent waters, and the socio-economic development and scientific activities in Hoang Sa Islands District during the Sai Gon Administration.  These have been sourced after research conducted by the Publicity and Training Department of the municipal Party Committee. 

Apart from the above-mentioned exhibits, the exhibition will also feature historical documents collected in the USA, Japan and some European countries by the Deputy Head of the Da Nang Institute for Socio-Economic Development, Dr Tran Duc Anh Son.  Others have been donated by historical witnesses who once served on the archipelago, and Mr Tran Thang, a Vietnamese-born American.

Similar exhibitions have already been held in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh and Thai Nguyen cities, and Ha Tinh and Dak Lak provinces, and they have received high appreciation from residents nationwide.