Hanoi (VNA)𓃲 – A delegation consisting of 222 domestic delegates and overseas Vietnamese (OVs) from 22 countries globally visited and presented gifts to officers, soldiers and people on Truong Sa, DK1 platform on Phuc Tan shoal during their trip from April 18-23.

They also joined a music show with soldiers and civilians on the islands and the DK1 platform. After listening to reports on the results of the performance of their tasks in 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, the head of the delegation hailed the achievements recorded by officers, soldiers and people on the islands and platform, saying that they have been making relentless efforts day and night to overcome difficulties and fulfill their mission of safeguarding the sacred sovereignty of seas, islands and continental shelves of the country. In addition to gifts from the Navy High Command, OVs together with representatives of centrally-run and local agencies and localities presented two TVs, two electric rice cookers, two karaoke systems, 20 desktop computers, 10 printers, two K+ satellite receivers, 55 solar-powered lights, two projectors, four submersible pumps, 13 freshwater filters, eight freezers, four uninterruptible power supplies, four batteries, 25 electric fans, 97 essential supply boxes, two boxes of medical masks, eight boxes of vitamin supplements, and a vegetable garden worth 300 million VND (13,000 USD) to soldiers and residents in Truong Sa district and DK1 platform. These gifts have a total value of billions of VND. The trip held great significance as it was the 10th time the Foreign Ministry’s State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (SCOV) had collaborated with the Navy High Command to organise the activity. Assistant to Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu said the activity had been disrupted in 2020-2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2022, it has been resumed to meet the expectation of OVs towards the seas and islands back in the Motherland.   According to the SCOV, within a very short period of time, OVs contributed funds through fundraising and donation activities to support the "For Green Truong Sa" programme, providing essential gifts to support the life of Truong Sa soldiers and people, with a total value amounting up to nearly 1.3 billion VND.   Hoang Nghia Hieu, Vice Secretary of the Party Committee of central Nghe An province, said during the trip, the local delegation handed over 700 million VND in cash and kind to Truong Sa soldiers and residents. Asso. Prof Dao Dang Phuong, Secretary of the Party Committee and Rector of the National University of Arts Education (NUAE), said lecturers and singers from the university had prepared many songs to entertain soldiers and residents on islands where they visited.   On the occasion, the NUAE also donated five musical instruments and 100 music CDs to soldiers stationed on the islands. Rear Admiral Pham Van Hung, Deputy Chief of the Staff of the Vietnam People's Navy and head of the delegation, wished to receive further support from people at home and OVs to make Truong Sa more beautiful and vibrant in the coming time./.