Whenever the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago is mentioned, many often think of rough seas and islands battered by tropical storms and fierce winds but also featuring coral reefs and various creatures and plants.
Soldiers stationed on An Bang island take care of the plants after their training (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) -🐬 Whenever the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago is mentioned, many often think of rough seas and islands battered by tropical storms and fierce winds but also featuring coral reefs and various creatures and plants.
The archipelago has now greatly transformed itself, as soldiers stationed here, in addition to their sacred duty of defending the country’s seas and islands, are making efforts to make the islands full of vitality.
In the early 1990s, the Vietnam People’s Navy mulled over the cultivation of vegetables on the islands, to supply greens for officers and soldiers stationed there.
Nearly two decades on, various types of vegetables are now being cultivated.
The lush green of vegetable patches on Phan Vinh B island (Photo: VNA)
Those who set foot on the islands will see the lush green of vegetable patches, with many plants popular on the mainland now being grown there.
The types of vegetables are selected based on the weather and climatic conditions.
Despite the severe weather and shortages of fresh water and cultivation areas, its lush green vegetable gardens give Truong Sa a certain vibrancy.
This is the fruit of the indomitability, perseverance, and steadfastness of the soldiers stationed on the islands of the beloved Truong Sa archipelago./.
A navy officer grows vegetables on Co Lin island (Photo: VNA)
Over the last 40 years, the Military Hospital 175 has been delivering trusted healthcare services for not only soldiers on Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago but also islanders and fishermen working in the waters around the islands, said the hospital's Director Major General Nguyen Hong Son.
Though living far from home, many young Vietnamese people working and studying in the Republic of Korea have expressed their love for Vietnam’s sea and islands.
“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.
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Soldiers stationed on An Bang island take care of the plants after their training (Photo: VNA)
The lush green of vegetable patches on Phan Vinh B island (Photo: VNA)
A navy officer grows vegetables on Co Lin island (Photo: VNA)
