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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh lays a wreath at Gac Ma memorial website in Khanh Hoa Province, March 12, 2022. Photograph by Vietnam Authorities Portal |
PM Chinh paid floral tributes and burned incense on the Gac Ma memorial website within the central province of Khanh Hoa, which commemorates 64 Vietnamese troopers who died defending reefs within the Spratly Archipelago on March 14, 1988, and misplaced Gac Ma.
He wrote within the e book on the website: “These are exemplary individuals who heroically sacrificed their lives to guard their nation’s sacred sovereignty. These shiny examples are everlasting proof of heroism, of the heroic custom of Vietnamese folks.”
Early on March 14, 1988, the Vietnamese Navy’s Brigade 125 despatched three ships with practically 100 officers and troopers to the Gac Ma (Johnson South), Co Lin (Collins or Johnson North) and Len Dao (Lansdowne) reefs within the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago.
The troopers have been transporting development supplies onto Gac Ma when 4 Chinese language vessels arrived.
A second-lieutenant and two troopers then used a small boat to hurry to the island to guard the nationwide flag, however the Chinese language troopers opened hearth, killing the officer on the spot.
Because the battle continued, one of many Vietnamese ships was broken and sank. One other ship with 18 aboard was additionally attacked whereas defending Len Dao.
The third ship managed to plant a flag on Co Lin that morning and efficiently defended the island.
In a while the identical day, three different Vietnamese naval ships arrived on the website to help the protection of Co Lin and Len Dao. However Chinese language forces had occupied Gac Ma.
A complete of 64 Vietnamese troopers have been killed within the battle, and so they have been remembered because the Gac Ma troopers.
On Saturday, PM Chinh additionally visited brigades on the 4th Regional Command underneath the Vietnam Folks’s Navy, which protects the Spratly Islands and the south central coast.
He stated the Navy must make correct forecast of the scenario at sea, well timed recommendation on measures and take exact actions in coping with totally different developments, in an effort to shield Vietnam’s maritime financial actions and peace.
