General Cuong: From the Gac Ma incident, Vietnam must rise up strongly

Nghe An Newspaper interviewed Major General Le Van Cuong - Former Director of the Institute of Strategy, Ministry of Public Security to clarify the context as well as historical lessons surrounding this event.

Gac Ma has a particularly important position in the Truong Sa archipelago.

PV:Can the Major General give a general assessment of the nature of the event in which China invaded Vietnam's Gac Ma Island on March 14, 1988?

Major General Le Van Cuong:In 1988, China invaded and occupied 6 submerged reefs in the Truong Sa archipelago from Vietnam, including: Gac Ma, Tu Nghia, Ga Ven, Chu Thap, Xu Bi, and Chau Vien. Of these, on March 14, 1988, China occupied Gac Ma island.

Our naval soldiers fought very bravely, demonstrating the spirit of being determined to die for the Fatherland. In terms of force, the Chinese navy is 10 times larger than the Vietnam People's Navy, but our naval soldiers fought fearlessly, still holding the land, defending the island to the end. In the battle at Gac Ma, 64 of our naval soldiers heroically sacrificed themselves.

At the time of China's invasion, Vietnam had owned the Spratly Islands since the mid-18th century, without any dispute; the islands in the Spratly Islands were completely under our country's sovereignty, in accordance with international law. Therefore, China's use of naval forces to occupy the above-mentioned 6 islands was an act of invasion of Vietnam's sovereignty.

First of all, this is a violation of Article 2, Clause 3: which stipulates that United Nations members resolve disputes by peaceful means; Article 2, Clause 4: which prohibits United Nations members from threatening to use force or directly using force to resolve disputes of the United Nations Charter.

China also violated Resolution 2625 of the United Nations General Assembly in October 1970, which stipulates that the territory of a country cannot be the object of occupation by another country, and territories seized by force do not create a legal basis for the occupying country. China also violated the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

PV:Can the Major General analyze more why China invaded 6 islands of Vietnam in Truong Sa in 1988 and not at another time?

Major General Le Van Cuong:The occupation of six Vietnamese islands, including Gac Ma Island, is an action within China's strategy to monopolize the East Sea.

The reason they chose this time to invade 6 rocky islands of Vietnam was because our country was falling into a socio-economic crisis, the situation had never been so difficult.

As for the world, at this time the Soviet Union, Vietnam's most important partner, in 1988 also fell into a comprehensive crisis, having to struggle to deal with internal economic, political and social problems. They no longer had enough strength to care about Vietnam.

The immortal circle at the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial Monument. Photo: tuoitre.vn

The domestic and international context at that time was like that, so when China invaded Vietnam's islands, the US, the Soviet Union, the international community did not object, Vietnam was completely isolated. At that time, China even joined with the US to blockade and embargo Vietnam.

The 6 Vietnamese islands that China has occupied have an important strategic position, forming a strategic defensive position blocking the entire Truong Sa area from the North to the South, from the East to the West. In the long term, it has the ability to control all means of transport in the East Sea when necessary.

PV:What lessons can we learn from the Gac Ma incident, Major General?

Major General Le Van Cuong:In my opinion, there are 5 lessons to note:

The first:It is necessary to clearly understand friend - enemy, opponent - partner. The Resolutions of the Party Central Committee in 2003 and 2013 clearly stated the relationship between object and partner.

After the invasion at Gac Ma and China's acts of encroachment on sovereignty in the East Sea, our Party has a new understanding of objects and partners. In this issue, China is the object and partner of cooperation, but in other issues, China is the object of struggle, especially issues in the East Sea.

Monday:Not to let Vietnam be isolated from the world, this is the most important lesson. In 1988, Vietnam fell into a state of complete isolation. China and the US, along with reactionary forces in the world, focused on besieging and embargoing Vietnam.

Realizing that, up to now, Vietnam has had comprehensive partnerships with the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and many organizations and countries around the world.

We must be closely linked with the international community, making national strength closely linked with the strength of the new era to have enough strength to protect national sovereignty and territory.

Gac Ma Island, Truong Sa Archipelago, Vietnam illegally occupied by China. Photo AMTI/Digital Globe

Tuesday:Vietnam must rise up strongly. Nearly 100 million Vietnamese people with the strength of solidarity, a strong economy, military strength and security will be a great condition to protect the integrity of territorial sovereignty.

Wednesday:After the Gac Ma incident in 1988, history showed that the Vietnamese people were of one mind and harmony was an important condition for preserving the country. After the 12th Party Congress, the fight against corruption entered a new turning point, dozens of major cases, dozens of high-ranking officials were prosecuted, including members of the Politburo.

The implementation of Central Resolutions 4 and 6 (12th tenure) are also the most important measures for our Party to create consensus and unanimity in building and protecting the Fatherland, making the State apparatus clean and strong, making the people have absolute trust in the Party's leadership, creating the invincible strength of the Vietnamese people.

Thursday:The Gac Ma incident needs to be included in the nation’s history of fighting against foreign invaders; it needs to be included in the school textbook system; it needs to be studied more deeply. The press also needs to strongly promote the content and significance of this historical event.

PV:Thank you, Major General, for this interview.