As part of the ‘Looking towards the homeland’s sea and lands’ program, the construction of a flagpole that affirms Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago in the East Sea has begun on Ly Son Island in central Quang Ngai Province.

>> Vietnam opposes Chinese ship’s attacks off Hoang Sa >> Truth and lies about Spratly, Paracel The work began on Tuesday afternoon on the island’s Thoi Loi Mountain. Ly Son is about 15 nautical miles from the mainland and 90 nautical miles from international maritime routes. The flagpole is being built through cooperation between the provincial Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Ly Son island authorities, at an estimated cost of VN800 million (US$38,400), an amount which has been contributed by members of Ho Chi Minh communist youth  unions nationwide. The flagpole, which will look to the sea leading to Hoang Sa, is designed to be 20 meters in height and 3 meters in diameter. The flagpole is schedule to be complete by the end of this year.  Nguyen Hoang Hiep, deputy head of the provincial Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, said that the work is aimed at reiterating that Hoang Sa belongs to Vietnam’s sovereignty forever. The construction of the flagpole will also help foster and promote love for the homeland’s sea and islands in general, and for the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (archipelagos) in particular, among young people across the country,  Hiep said.