Truong Sa - new vitality in the East Sea

Spiritual milestones" in the open sea

In the afternoon of July 3, 2026, Fisheries Surveillance vessel KN 491 left Cam Ranh port, splitting the waves to bring more than 200 members of Working Group No. 19 towards Truong Sa Special Zone, Khanh Hoa province. The mainland gradually receded behind. The 10-day and night voyage overcoming successive waves and days of fierce sea turbulence due to the impact of storms and southwest monsoons brought us invaluable experiences. But what remained most profound was not the saltiness of the waves and winds, but the new face of Truong Sa, where culture, spirituality, people's lives and the vision of marine economic development are harmonizing, creating the lasting vitality of the sacred sea.

Throughout the sea journey visiting the islands, the sound that leaves the deepest aftertaste is not only the sound of waves crashing against the side of the ship. It is the heroic national anthem under the red flag with a yellow star and the solemn bell of the pagoda echoing in the vast space of the sea and sky.

At Truong Sa Lon island, the flag salute ceremony took place extremely solemnly. In the middle of the summer afternoon, more than 200 delegates in the working delegation, along with officers, soldiers and people on the island, chanted "Tien Quan Ca" (March Song) in unison. Leaving the flag salute ceremony, we stepped towards Truong Sa Pagoda. The pagoda roof nestled under the square banyan tree, the three-entrance gate facing the sovereignty marker, nearby are schools and spacious residential areas. That scene brings a feeling of affection as if stepping into a coastal village in the mainland, only different by taking a few dozen more steps and meeting the ocean.

When the pagoda bell rings in the late afternoon, the sound is not too loud but goes very far in the vast sky and water.

Venerable Thich Nhuan Dat - Abbot of Truong Sa Pagoda, shared: The pagoda is not only a place for officials, soldiers, people and fishermen to come to worship Buddha, burn incense on the full moon day, the first day of Tet or Tet holidays. More importantly, it is a warm common home, where soldiers seek peace, people place their trust, and those who go far feel peaceful.

Venerable Thich Minh Quang - Deputy Chief of Office of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, emphasized: In the nation's tradition, Buddhism always accompanies the country in the spirit of "national protection and people's peace". Wherever there is a Vietnamese community, there is a pagoda roof. The pagodas on the island are restored according to the traditional architecture of Vietnamese pagodas, both enduring the harshness of the marine environment, and being a place to connect people with their homeland and ancestors and preserve the source of Vietnamese culture in the open sea.

Rural lifestyle and the birth of a Vietnamese community in the East Sea

Passing through the islands, the feeling of lonely island points gradually gives way to a clear awareness of a growing residential community every day. On Sinh Ton and Truong Sa Lon islands, the space is imbued with the shape of a miniature Vietnamese village. Rows of spacious houses, schools, hospitals, cultural houses, pagodas and lush green vegetable gardens follow each other.

Mr. Nguyen The Chinh, a resident on Truong Sa Lon island, shared: "Living here, people always receive care from officers and soldiers and from the mainland. Schools are right near the house, children are taken care of in their studies, the hospital takes care of their health, and the pagoda is a place to find moments of silence. The nearby buildings make life on the island as cozy as a large family.

If Song Tu Tay island and Sinh Ton island impress with their green foliage, Truong Sa Dong shows its resilience. Located in a sea area heavily affected by monsoons and salt, but behind the wave-breaking concrete layer are growing trees. Each tree root is carefully cared for, making the island less harsh and people on the island more love the place they are attached to.

On Phan Vinh Island, the island named after Hero of the People's Armed Forces Nguyen Phan Vinh, the heroic captain on the Ho Chi Minh Trail at sea, the space seems to subside. The sacrifice of the previous generation reminds each person of a time of blood and fire, to understand that today's peace is not natural. Next to the memorial house, the pagoda roof and the rows of trees are growing day by day, continuing the historical flow between the past and the present.

Colonel Nguyen Huu Minh - Deputy Political Commissar of Naval Region 4, Head of Task Force No. 19, said: Along with the task of managing and firmly protecting the sacred sea and island sovereignty of the Fatherland, Naval Region 4 always pays attention to building comprehensively developed islands, creating the most favorable conditions for soldiers and people to stabilize their lives and support fishermen to reach out to sea and stick to the sea. Developing the marine economy and consolidating national defense are not two separate tasks, but complementing and creating comprehensive strength for each other.