Simple life in Sinh Ton island commune – Truong Sa

(Baonghean.vn) - Sinh Ton Island Commune – a name born from heaven and earth, enduring forever amidst the Truong Sa archipelago. On the island, a simple, happy life unfolds with the laughter of children, the faint sound of temple bells, and the high-level combat readiness commands of the armed forces.

After braving hundreds of nautical miles of stormy seas, the ship HQ 561 continued its journey, bringing us to the beloved Sinh Ton island commune, home to its soldiers and civilians. Located 315 nautical miles from Cam Ranh (Khanh Hoa province), stretching east-west, Sinh Ton island sits on a coral reef nearly 1km wide.²At either end of the island are two sandbars. Remarkably, these two sandbars are not stationary but move with the seasonal waves and winds.

Sinh Ton Island Commune viewed from afar

During the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, on March 29, 1975, Special Forces Team 1, Regiment 126, reinforced by three transport ships from Brigade 125 of the Naval Command, under the direct command of Comrade Mai Nang, was assigned the secret and surprise mission to liberate the Spratly Islands. After liberating islands such as Song Tu Tay, Son Ca, Nam Yet, etc., the enemy forces on Sinh Ton Island were bewildered, anxious, and demoralized, fleeing in disarray. Our forces quickly and successfully took over Sinh Ton Island on April 28, 1975.

Due to the harsh weather conditions in the Spratly Islands, the sandy soil on Sinh Ton rocky island is almost unsuitable for growing fruit trees or vegetables, only a few brackish water plants such as Terminalia catappa, Barringtonia acutangula, Casuarina equisetifolia, Ipomoea aquatica, Terminalia catappa, and weeds. There is no fresh water on the island; all water for daily use must be collected from rainwater.

The wind power system provides clean energy to the island commune.

Despite this, with self-reliance and determination to overcome difficulties, the soldiers and civilians on Sinh Ton Island have actively increased production, ensuring 100% of their vegetable needs and a large portion of their food supply. From a barren rocky island of the past, thanks to the diligence, hard work, and creativity of generations of soldiers and civilians, Sinh Ton has become a lush, vibrant land. Many public facilities have been built on the island, such as temples, meteorological and hydrological stations, wind power systems, and solar power systems. When night falls, viewed from afar, Sinh Ton sparkles with lights, like a vibrant city amidst the waves of the Truong Sa archipelago.

A sacred landmark marking sovereignty on the island.

A delegation from the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Central Propaganda Department visited Sinh Ton island commune.

Along the verdant road from the sacred sovereignty marker to the commune's People's Committee headquarters, we witnessed the simple life of the local people: sturdy, charming houses adorned with national flags, rows of bitter gourd vines laden with fruit in front of the houses, and a nearby temple and memorial plaque commemorating the 64 martyrs who died in the Gac Ma naval battle, always filled with the scent of incense.

The headquarters of the People's Committee and other civil agencies are well-built on Sinh Ton island commune.

The road is lined with lush green trees on Sinh Ton island commune.

Beside the tranquil temple courtyard stands a spacious school campus, recently inaugurated as part of the "For the Beloved Students of Truong Sa" program of the Vua A Dinh Scholarship Fund. Since it was a holiday, the students were at home, and the teachers on the island used their free time after preparing their lessons to meet with visitors from the mainland.

The students are having fun at their new school.

Young teacher Lo Anh Duc, originally from Thanh Hoa province but raised in Khanh Hoa, shared that since his days as a student majoring in education, this slender young man with a gentle smile had participated in volunteer movements and was ready to apply to go to Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) as soon as he received his diploma. In this new environment, the difficulties were far greater than on the mainland, but young teacher Lo Anh Duc and his colleagues gradually overcame them to excel in teaching and learning.

“The elementary school students in Sinh Ton island commune are very well-behaved, adorable, and intelligent. After completing their elementary school program, they leave the island and go to the mainland to continue their secondary education, and all of them achieve good or excellent academic results,” teacher Duc said.

Like his colleague, young teacher Nguyen Ngoc Ha (born in 1990) believes that the most precious thing in Sinh Ton is the bond between teachers and students, and between the military and the people. On holidays like November 20th and Tet (Lunar New Year), the teachers are always treated to celebrations organized by the commune government and parents, with simple meals of water spinach and dried fish, but filled with human kindness.

Residential area on the island.

Ms. Phan Thi Thuong is happy with her newborn daughter on Sinh Ton Island.

When our delegation arrived at Sinh Ton Island, the small house of Mr. Nguyen Minh Chau and Ms. Phan Thi Thuong was filled with laughter because exactly one month earlier, Ms. Thuong had given birth to a healthy baby on the island. “We’re so happy, gentlemen. When my wife was pregnant and went into labor, I was very worried, but with the help of the military doctors, our child was born safely. This joy is multiplied many times over when our family receives congratulations from the mainland, from the local government, and from the kind people on the island, as well as from visiting delegations,” Mr. Chau said emotionally, cradling his one-month-old daughter in his arms.

The commander of Sinh Ton Island stated that, in addition to maintaining a high level of combat readiness, the island commune also cares for the well-being of its officers, soldiers, and civilians. The island has a reading room with over 3,000 books, 60 newspapers, and a legal library. A multi-purpose cultural center has also been built and completed, now in use. Notably, at the end of April, the Ministry of Information and Communications, in coordination with Khanh Hoa Post Office, inaugurated a post office and cultural center in Sinh Ton commune, aiming to provide public services to the people, officers, and soldiers.

Tourists light incense at the temple on the island.

The soldiers prepare their meal after training.

The delegation from the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Central Propaganda Department also presented the military and civilians of the island commune with a collection of exhibits themed "Hoang Sa - Truong Sa of Vietnam: Historical Evidence". These are valuable documents that help officials and people from the mainland, as well as overseas Vietnamese, better understand the historical and legal evidence affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos when visiting the islands. This contributes to raising awareness, fostering solidarity, and instilling a sense of responsibility among the people at home, overseas Vietnamese, and especially the youth, in protecting the sovereignty of the Fatherland.

Officers and soldiers on Sinh Ton Island bid farewell to visitors from the mainland.

Leaving Sinh Ton island commune at midday, amidst the sun and wind of Truong Sa, we felt a sense of peace at the sight of little girls and boys in school uniforms playing under the shade of the square-leaved banyan trees near the sovereignty marker. Out on the island, the sturdy seawall, like a strong arm, embraced the windmills spinning rapidly, with the national flag fluttering in the wind. We recalled the words of Colonel Pham Van Quang, Head of the Propaganda Department, Political Department of the Navy, when he explained to the delegation the meaning of the name Sinh Ton: an island born of heaven and earth, preserved and protected by our ancestors, possessing enduring vitality that will last forever…