The South China Sea and the "Spiderweb"

The heat of the East Sea seems to have left its mark on every aspect of Vietnamese life at this time, making everyone seem to forget the intense heat of the northern summer climate. It has even appeared in the literature exam for high school students, an age group that should ideally be writing only about dreams of a peaceful and happy life. It has also appeared in the National Assembly, where those elected by the people should be discussing business matters. We desperately need stability to focus on national development, but now we no longer have peace, having to dedicate our attention, strength, money, and sometimes even blood to protecting the East Sea of ​​our homeland. A country can only survive when its territorial integrity is preserved. Looking from the perspective of space and territory, the poet Nguyen Khoa Diem once wrote about the country:Land isOh, the phoenix is ​​flying back!Silver MountainIt is said to be the place where the fisherman's fish swims in the open sea."How can it be called Vietnam if it doesn't have a sea?"

The story of the South China Sea suddenly reminded me of the short story "Spider silkThis is from the writer Akutagawa of Japan, a country that currently shares our concerns. The Japanese, out of necessity, have had to take steps to protect themselves. A country that for many years focused solely on business has now had to "change its image" to maintain peace. Anyone who has experienced war surely dreams of a peaceful life. I deeply understand the recent words and actions of the Japanese Prime Minister: the Japanese are so afraid of war that they always seek to cultivate peace. But peace never comes from one side alone. This reality forces the Japanese to remain highly vigilant.

As for our country, Vietnam, if we compare the suffering caused by war, it is certainly no less than that of Japan. After decades of sacrifice in the war to defend our country, we thought we would have a life of eternal peace. The Vietnamese people deserve to enjoy that simple happiness. Yet, in the midst of these scorching summer days, China brazenly deployed the Haiyang 981 oil rig right in our sovereign waters. This blatant act has touched the proud hearts of many patriotic Vietnamese. With its ambition to invade Vietnam's East Sea, the "giant" from the North, besides plotting to seize sovereignty, also allows itself the exclusive right to exploit the rich resources beneath the seabed to serve its expansionist ambitions worldwide.

A short story by the Japanese writer Akutaga goes like this: On a beautiful, peaceful day, the Buddha was strolling in the Pure Land when he suddenly looked down into the underworld. He discovered the bandit Kandata wallowing in a pool of blood, beneath which lay a forest of needles. Recalling the past, the Buddha remembered that Kandata had once been extremely cruel, but once, while walking through the forest, he had seen a spider crossing the path. Initially, Kandata intended to trample the tiny creature, but then reconsidered, thinking that the spider was a very small being, deserving of life. This unexpected act of kindness moved the Buddha's compassion. So, the Buddha casually tossed a spider's web from the sky down to the pool of blood where Kandata was being punished by the forest of needles. Kandata immediately clung to the web and climbed out. After climbing a considerable distance, Kandata stopped to regain his strength before continuing, but unexpectedly, he discovered a whole crowd of people climbing up from below. Greed and selfishness surged within him, and Kandata turned back and shouted loudly:Hey you guys, this spider web is mine, who gave you permission to cling to it?!" The thread, which had previously remained strong even with hundreds of thousands of people clinging to it, suddenly snapped upon hearing Kandata's scream. Kandata tumbled back into the pool of blood and the needle-like forest. Thus, because of his selfishness and desire to monopolize the spider silk, the wicked and greedy man was punished in return.

Of course, I didn't mean to compare the entire story.yarnspider”Akutagava's story contrasts sharply with the current situation in the South China Sea, where Beijing's authorities are at odds with Vietnam. While comparisons may be flawed, the greed and selfishness of tyrants are the same everywhere and in every era. And greed and selfishness, especially in the context of globalization, are unacceptable in any era. Living in a "flat world," how can one easily accept that resources, wealth, and happiness can only be reserved for a select group or a nation, even a large one? Even more unacceptable is another nation using military force to threaten and plunder the resources of its neighbor. No matter how insatiable the greed of outsiders may be, it must be stopped at the doorstep of the host country. Nature is always fair. No one will allow anyone to have the right to live in abundance and luxury when there are still so many poor people in the world. I think China still has quite a few poor people. But surely they don't need the things that their government steals from others and brings back.

During these turbulent days in the East Sea, the self-respect of the Vietnamese people has soared. There can be no truly peaceful life when the country's sovereignty is violated. The profound lesson from this...yarnspider”Akutagava's words from long ago could now serve as a valuable lesson for the Beijing authorities regarding the South China Sea issue. I deeply cherish peace and pray for peace in the South China Sea, for my people, and for all those who love peaceful life in this world. Thank you, Japan, for giving birth to a writer like Akutagava, who left behind such a profound allegory.