A solemn ceremony was conducted in the coastal city of Nha Trang on Friday evening to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the liberation of the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago in the East Vietnam Sea (April 29).

>> Vietnam opposes China’s construction work in Truong Sa (Spratlys) The event was organized by the Truong Sa Soldiers Liaison Committee of the south-central province of Khanh Hoa, drawing more than 400 war veterans who used to serve on the archipelago and representatives from the Naval Zone 4 and the Vietnam Naval Academy. Nha Trang is the capital city of Khanh Hoa and Truong Sa is an island district of the province. Le Xuan Ba, head of the liaison committee and the former chairman of the People’s Council of Truong Sa District, told the ceremony about his memories of the days when the first units of the Vietnam People's Navy arrived at and liberated Truong Sa.  

War veterans pay tributes to the fallen soldiers who sacrificed while protecting Truong Sa. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The archipelago has increasingly developed over the past 40 years and the life of people and soldiers in many parts of the archipelago, including Song Tu Tay and Sinh Ton communes and the Truong Sa town, has been improved, Ba said. At the event, the committee offered gifts to the families of soldiers who died or were injured while safeguarding Truong Sa, as well as to war veterans who are facing difficulties in life. At the end of the ceremony, the war veterans dropped floating lanterns into Nha Trang Bay to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers who sacrificed while protecting Truong Sa, including the 64 naval officers and soldiers who died on defending Gac Ma Island (Johnson South Reef), part of the archipelago, on March 14, 1988.

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