An Italy-Viet Nam association has released a special edition of its magazine, specializing in Southeast Asian events, to better promote Viet Nam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes to Italians and the world.

The cover of a special issue of Mekong Magazine, the title of which is roughly translated as “Hoang Sa and Truong Sa Archipelagoes: An Inseparable Part of Viet Nam’s Territory”

The Italy-Viet Nam Friendship Association has recently launched a special edition of Mekong Magazine, the title of which is roughly translated as “Hoang Sa and Truong Sa Archipelagoes: An Inseparable Part of Viet Nam’s Territory,” Vietnamplus reported on Wednesday.

Published in Italian, the edition reiterates Viet Nam’s irrefutable sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa and provides in-depth information on the East Viet Nam Sea.

Hoang Sa is an island district under the administration of the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang while Truong Sa is also an island district administered by the south-central Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa.

The edition marks the 20th anniversary of Mekong Magazine, which is published twice a year and dedicated to information on current events in Viet Nam and Southeast Asia.

It depicts in great detail the solid political and historical evidence of Viet Nam’s ownership of the two archipelagoes as well as China’s illegal placement of an oil rig in Vietnamese waters from early May to mid-July last year.

The Italy-Viet Nam Friendship Association has also presented copies of the special edition to universities, organizations, and individuals in Italy and in several other European countries.

The Italy-based organization is expected to promote the publication in several Italian cities in the time to come.

Vietnamplus quoted Sandra Scagliotti, Mekong Magazine’s editor-in-chief, as saying that the edition is meant to express Italians’ wholehearted support for Viet Nam’s quest of territorial solidarity and sovereignty.

First published in Italian in 1994, Mekong Magazine is considered the first publication in Italy which is devoted to the comprehensive research of Vietnamese and Southeast Asian cultures, history, and languages.