Displaying 100 maps of the two archipelagos of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa

Nearly 100 maps of the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos were displayed in the exhibition "Hoang Sa, Truong Sa of Vietnam - historical and legal evidence" which opened this morning (January 16) in Binh Thuan.

The exhibition was held at the Binh Thuan Provincial Convention Center, introducing many documents, texts, artifacts and nearly 100 maps of the two archipelagos of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa. The exhibition was organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications in coordination with the People's Committee of Binh Thuan Province from January 16 to 21, 2015.

In his opening speech at the exhibition, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan emphasized, “Recently, the dispute in the East Sea has had complicated developments that have attracted the attention of domestic and international public opinion, causing outrage among Vietnamese people at home and abroad.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan presents documents to Binh Thuan province

In particular, from May to July 2014, China brazenly placed the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. We strongly protested and requested China to immediately stop actions that escalate the situation in the East Sea.

In early 2015, China rapidly expanded 5-6 illegally occupied islands in the Truong Sa archipelago.

China has also increased construction on illegally occupied reefs in Truong Sa, seriously violating the DOC joint statement, threatening security in the East Sea and the region.

In that situation, the publication of documents and evidence affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over seas and islands to raise legal awareness and strengthen propaganda and public opinion is extremely important and necessary work.

The maps and documents displayed at the exhibition are part of the historical evidence and legal basis proving Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos in the East Sea.

Through these documents, it can be seen that the Vietnamese state from the feudal period to the present day has explored, established, enforced and protected national sovereignty over these two archipelagos and many other sea and island areas belonging to Vietnamese territory.

The exhibition attracted a large number of people from all walks of life, including students, workers, intellectuals and civil servants in the province.

Many people have carefully viewed and learned about the Han Nom versions, Vietnamese and French documents issued by the Vietnamese feudal court and the French government in Indochina from the 17th to the 20th century.

Visitors also pay close attention to versions of administrative documents of the Vietnamese state in different periods that affirmed the process of administrative management, enforcement and protection of Vietnam's sovereignty over the two archipelagos.

In addition, a number of documents and publications compiled and published by Western countries in the 18th and 19th centuries related to Vietnam's sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa and a number of documentary images showing the process of implementing and protecting Vietnam's sovereignty from 1930 to the "Hoang Sa naval battle" on January 19, 1974 are of great interest to many people.

At the exhibition, student Nguyen Van Truc, a second-year student at Binh Thuan Community College, expressed: "This exhibition helps our generation of students understand more about the very specific legal evidence of sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.

The document in Champa language has the following content: Plei Koh (Koh village, Phu Qui island, Binh Thuan) reported to the government about sending 3 boats to Hoang Sa and Truong Sa to support the ban on sending ships from other countries according to the edict. Koh village has gathered villagers and fishermen for this matter, but now the sea is rough and they cannot go out to sea, so the villagers asked the government to postpone the departure until October.

What we have seen on the internet for a long time, combined with the visual materials from this exhibition, show that what China says is completely contrary to the truth."

After the exhibition ended, all exhibition materials were transferred to the People's Committee of Binh Thuan province to continue the extensive propaganda work among the people.

According to Vietnamnet