People believe that Hoang Sa is the unique and sacred name of the Fatherland, so they should promote "Hoang Sa belong to Vietnam" on the banners at Hoang Sa Exhibition House (Son Tra Ward) instead of "The paracels belong to Vietnam".
The People's Committee of Hoang Sa Special Zone explained that the phrase "The paracels belong to Vietnam" was chosen to serve foreign propaganda work, contributing to affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over Hoang Sa archipelago by using the international name - paracel Islands - which has been commonly used in documents and world maps for hundreds of years.
The use of the international name "Paracel" is also consistent with Vietnam's legal and diplomatic documents such as the Official Dispatch to the United Nations 1988), the Official Dispatches of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam (2009, 2011), the White Book of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1975, as well as the content of propaganda on the official state's information portals.
The People's Committee of Hoang Sa Special Zone said that before coming into operation, Hoang Sa Exhibition House had asked for the opinion of the city's Department of Foreign Affairs and was agreed to use the official English name "The Museum of paracel Islands" according to Official Dispatch No. 2081/SNG-HTQT dated August 27, 2018.
The banners at the Exhibition House are designed in two languages: Vietnamese "Hoang Sa La Van Viet Nam" and English "The paracels belong to Vietnam". This way of showing is to convey the message of affirming sovereignty to both domestic people and international friends.
The People's Committee of Hoang Sa Special Zone affirmed that this is a suitable expression, not reducing the sacredness of the name Hoang Sa, but also enhancing the effectiveness of propagating the sovereignty of Vietnam's sea and islands.
