The greenery at the central building of Trường Sa island. VNA/VNS Photo

HẢI PHÒNG Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng on January 30 presented the Navy High Command with VNĐ 1.55 billion (US$ 63,500) donated by overseas Vietnamese (OV) to a programme on greening Trường Sa (Spratly) islands.

The donation was handed over during a visit by a delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to offer greetings to the Navy High Command in the northern city of Hải Phòng ahead of the Tết (Lunar New Year) festival.

The “Greening Trường Sa” programme was launched by the Vietnam People’s Navy in 2023.

Hằng, who is also Chairwoman of the State Committee for OV Affairs, noted that during 2012 - 2023, the OV community donated over 28 billion VND for building patrol canoes and some facilities, and presenting essentials and gifts to soldiers and residents on the islands and the DK1 platforms, which are economic, scientific, and technical stations on the country's southern continental shelf.

Besides, OVs have also made practical spiritual contributions to the safeguarding of the Fatherland’s maritime sovereignty over the past many years.

Following trips to Trường Sa, they have become the key force in many activities supporting the islands such as establishing the Vietnamese people’s fund for the seas and island sovereignty in the Republic of Korea in 2015, the Truong Sa Club in Germany in 2017, along with the Hoàng Sa - Trường Sa Club in Poland in 2019 and another in the Czech Republic in 2022. They have also organised a number of workshops and forums on the East Sea, she noted.

The Deputy Minister thanked leaders of the Navy High Command and relevant units for providing favourable conditions for the State Committee for OV Affairs to successfully arrange 10 trips for its staff members and OV representatives to visit soldiers and residents in the island district of Trường Sa and the DK1 platforms so far.

She voiced her belief that navy officers and soldiers will always fulfil their duties, including firmly safeguarding the maritime sovereignty as well as peace and security at sea.

Rear Admiral Đỗ Văn Yên, Deputy Political Commissar of the navy force, pledged to continue coordinating closely with the State committee to organise more trips to Trường Sa for OVs.

Expressing his hope for the OV community’s continued support for the homeland’s seas and islands, he appreciated their material and spiritual assistance and considered this as a source of encouragement for Trường Sa soldiers and residents to keep defending the country’s sacred territorial waters. VNA/VNS