Following the previous success of two “Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago - an Integral Part of Viet Nam’s Territory” exhibitions which were opened in March in Da Nang, another is now running from 21 - 26 April at the city’s University of Technology.  The event is being jointly organised by the University of Da Nang, the Museum of Da Nang, the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Hoang Sa Island District People’s Committee.

On display are 70 valuable artifacts, historic maps and documents relating to Viet Nam’s legitimate sovereignty over the archipelago.  The valuable maps include “An Nam Đại Quoc Hoa Do” (the Map of the Great Empire of An Nam) and “Dai Nam Nhat Thong Toan Do” (the Complete Map of the Unified Dai Nam).  Some atlases and historical documents were issued by other countries around the world, including China, and they show China’s southern-most border as being Hainan Island.  Meanwhile, old bibliographies affirm that Viet Nam has established and exercised its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa Archipelago in a peaceful manner over many historical periods. 

Students reading historical documents at the exhibition

Most notably, there are some images and documents proving that Vietnamese people have lived on this archipelago for a long time.  They include a photo which depicts members of Vietnamese security forces attending a ceremony to salute the national flag in 1938, and a birth certificate of Ms Mai Kim Quy, whose father is Mr Mai Xuan Tap, a former staff member of the Hoang Sa Archipelago Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Centre.  Admiring these valuable documents for the first time, thousands of the university’s teaching staff members and students took deep pride and showed great regard for their beloved country. 

Addressing the event, the Chairman of the Hoang Sa Island District People’s Committee, Mr Dang Cong Ngu, said that the establishment of this district aims to remind descendants about Hoang Sa being an integral part of Viet Nam’s territory.  He also highlighted the significant role of exhibitions in educating the younger generations about the nation’s sacred sovereignty over the archipelago, as well as expressing deep gratitude to the heroic martyrs who had laid down their lives for the protection of the country’s beloved sea and islands.

To mark the occasion, the Da Nang University of Technology donated 50 million VND to the “Love for Hoang Sa and Truong Sa Archipelagos” programme through the representative office of the Lao Dong (Labour) Newspaper in the central region and highlands.  The money was raised from the university’s teaching staff and students.  This programme is being launched by the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour.  The donations will be used to build monuments to commemorate the fallen soldiers in the Gac Ma Battle, as well as to help their relatives to improve their living conditions.