At exactly 5.00pm on Tuesday, four ships transporting the necessities for Tet (Lunar New Year Festival) preparations arrived to greet residents and soldiers at Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands, about 248 sea miles from Cam Ranh City in Khanh Hoa Province.

Arrival: Naval soldiers set out to take over new missions on Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Quyet

According to Colonel Nguyen Cong Son, Deputy Commissar of the High Command in Naval Area 4, it has become a routine for the High Command to organise voyages to the islands to replace and withdraw troops as well as to send New Year wishes to the islanders.

Festive time: Before Tet (Lunar) New Year, hundreds tonnes of goods, necessities, fruits and vegetables have been transported to residents and soldiers on the Spratly Islands. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Quyet

Hundreds of tonnes of goods, necessities, fruits and vegetables, gifts from Khanh Hoa Province’s People’s Committee and from other provinces nationwide, have also been transported to each household to make the New Year Festival on the islands as prosperous as that on the mainland.

Soldier santa: Soldiers of brigate 146 carry gifts and necessities aboard. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Quyet

Particularly, the happiness of the residents and soldiers on the Spratly Isalnds seemed to be doubled when they received 100 million VND (4,400 US$) in financial support directly from President Tran Dai Quang and 700 million VND(30,822$) from the Vu A Dính Scholarship Fund.

Goodbye: Naval soldiers wave farewell to their family and relatives before setting out to take on new missions on Trường Sa (Spratly) Islands. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Quyet