A month after launching a contest to design the Hoang Sa (Paracel Islands) Exhibition House, the contest's organising board has received  43 entries from both domestic and foreign designers. 

Sixteen designs have been submitted by organisations and individuals from Da Nang, 19 from Ho Chi Minh City, 7 from Ha Noi, and 1 from Japan’s Raito Sekkei Jimusho Company.

The Chairman of the Hoang Sa Islands District People's Committee, Mr Dang Cong Ngu, said that the contest had been launched only for a short time and the cash prize was not high.  However, the organising board was very surprised at the large number of entries, and the event has drawn a great deal of attention.  This has proved that the prize was not important for the contestants, but the strong determination of Vietnamese people to protect the country’s legal sovereignty over the Hoang Sa Archipelago is sufficient motivation for them to participate in the contest. 

The winner of the contest will be announced this month, Chairman Ngu added.