Deputy Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Publicity and Education, Vũ Thanh Mai delivers his speech at the conference on Thursday.— VNA/VNS Photo Đặng Tuấn

NHA TRANG — The sea and islands are an integral part of the nation’s sacred territory, an inseparable component that holds immense strategic importance for the country's development across economic, political, social, national defence and security spheres.

Deputy Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Information and Education Vũ Thanh Mai made the statement at the '2024 Conference on promoting Việt Nam’s Marine and Island,' held in Nha Trang City in the south-central coastal province of Khánh Hòa, attended by representatives from 28 coastal provinces and cities on Thursday.

The conference was jointly organised by the commission, in collaboration with the provincial Party Committee, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Navy Command.

The task of promoting awareness of marine and island issues was a long-term, ongoing responsibility that involved the entire political system.

Thus, raising public consciousness about the role and significance of these territories was essential.

Efforts to promote awareness of Việt Nam’s marine and island territories have yielded substantial results, playing a crucial role in enhancing public understanding and affection for these areas.

That also encouraged the forces responsible for managing and protecting the nation’s maritime sovereignty, Mai said.

The Party official also highlighted that the global and regional situations continued to evolve rapidly and complexly, with the trends of peace, cooperation and development facing numerous challenges.

Domestically, political and socio-economic stabilised and the Party’s external relations, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy were being actively maintained and strengthened, enhancing the nation’s prestige and position.

Hostile forces continued to exploit issues surrounding national sovereignty over borders, seas, islands, ethnicity and religion to disseminate distorted narratives and fabrications aimed at undermining the State and fracturing traditional friendships with neighbouring countries.

Under this context, he urged all levels, sectors and localities to deepen their understanding of the Party and State’s resolutions, strategies and regulations, thereby fostering consensus regarding the mission to safeguard maritime sovereignty.

The conference served as an opportunity for the 28 coastal provinces and cities to update and assimilate crucial information and orientations regarding the situation in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) and the work of protecting Việt Nam’s maritime sovereignty, as well as the Party’s perspectives, policies and laws related to marine and island issues.

Participants at the conference also engaged in discussions, exchanging initiatives and experiences in promoting marine and island awareness, ultimately aiming to enhance local efforts in the area, thereby contributing to socio-economic development and the robust protection of the nation’s sacred sovereignty in the new situation.

Vice Secretary of Nha Trang Province Party Committee Nguyễn Khắc Toàn said in recent years, promoting marine and island awareness had been recognised as a significant task by local authorities.

The mission had been implemented comprehensively, featuring diverse content and forms, particularly through coordinated efforts between localities and units, alongside the Navy Command and Coast Guard.

The focus had been on effectively implementing the Marine and Island Promotion Coordination Programme between the Navy Command and the provincial Party Committee for the period 2023-25.

During the conference, delegates concentrated on discussing several key issues, including the protection of Việt Nam's maritime sovereignty on political and diplomatic fronts.

They considered recent results in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and the current situation in the East Sea, along with predictions and directions for future tasks in safeguarding maritime sovereignty. — VNS