Soldiers safeguarding national sovereignty commemorated
“Le khao le the linh Hoang Sa” (Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoang Sa Soldiers) was held in Ly Son district, the central province of Quang Ngai, on April 19.
A ritual held at the Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoang Sa Soldiers (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – “Le khao le the linh Hoang Sa” (Feast and CommemorationFestival for Hoang Sa Soldiers) was held in Ly Son district, the central provinceof Quang Ngai, on April 19.
According to Vietnam’s feudal state history, the Hoang SaFlotilla was set up when the Nguyen Lords began their reign in the south of thecountry. Thousands of sailors overcame roaring waves and storms to survey searoutes, plant milestones and erect steles affirming national territory in HoangSa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, and exploit marine resourcesordered by Nguyen Lords. Their missions were full of dangers, and many of themnever returned to land.
To pay tribute to the men enlisted in the flotilla, “Le khaole the linh Hoang Sa” has been observed through hundreds of years by familiesin Ly Son island and many coastal areas in Quang Ngai.
The festival, which is held every April on the island, wasrecognised as part of the national intangible cultural heritage by the State in2016. It reflects Vietnam’s history of protecting the national sovereignty inthe East Sea, especially over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.
Ly Son island covers an area of less than 10 sq.km but ithas nearly 100 relics, most of which are related to the Hoang Sa Flotilla, suchas the empty graves built for Hoang Sa soldiers who never returned to land, thetemples dedicated to Pham Quang Anh and Vo Van Khiet who were captains of theHoang Sa Flotilla, and a showroom displaying the items of the Hoang Sa Flotillasailors who also controlled Bac Hai and Ba Ri Lagoon.
A monument and memorial house dedicated to the Hoang SaFlotilla stand near the main road of the island./.
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Diverse documents in different historical periods from Vietnam, the West, and China prove that since the 17th century, Vietnam has owned and practiced its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos in an actual, constant, and peaceful manner.
“The State of Vietnam was the first state in history to exercise its sovereignty over the two archipelagos of Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) since they were ownerless pieces of land, at least since the 17th century. Vietnam has sufficient historical evidence that has legal value to testify to its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa,” an expert has said.
Vietnam was the first country to have established sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (known as Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spartly) archipelagos when they were unclaimed territories. This is shown in many historical documents as well as ancient Vietnamese and foreign maps.
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A ritual held at the Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoang Sa Soldiers (Photo: VNA) 
