Test of patriotism and solidarity

- How do you evaluate Vietnam's reaction and the attitude of world public opinion towards China's violation of Vietnam's territorial sovereignty?

Vietnam’s response has demonstrated its steadfast attitude towards the eternally unchangeable principles of the Vietnamese people: independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The actions of every ordinary citizen and the statements of the country’s leaders are consistent with that attitude. Our actual responses also demonstrate our goodwill for peace in the face of China’s aggressive actions.

The attitude of world public opinion, both at the national level, non-governmental organizations and individuals, has shown deep concern about China's actions and expressed strong support for Vietnam. The declarations about the nine-dash line, or more specifically, China's plot to monopolize the East Sea, all countries recognize the absurdity of it. However, if that plot is realized, at any level, it will harm the security of the whole region and the world. China's placement of the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig is a violation of Vietnam's sovereignty, but it also puts countries in the region and related countries before the reality that the above danger is real.

China's actions have violated the territorial sovereignty of a country, seriously violating international law. On the other hand, the international community's recognition of Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, proven by historical documents and in practice before China used force to invade in 1974, has also become increasingly widespread. It should also be noted that we need to be more active and effective in presenting to the world undeniable historical and legal evidence of Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos. In short, in any case, reason and morality always receive strong support.

Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Quan (Head of the Department of History, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU). (Photo: Thanh Long/USSH)

- Through this event, what do you think about the role and contributions of researchers in general and researchers of VNU in particular to affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over seas and islands?

Faced with major issues, especially those related to the survival, development or backwardness of the country, each Vietnamese person, depending on his or her position, must take responsibility. Among these, intellectuals always play a great role. Speaking specifically about the issue of Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos and the sea and islands in general, clarifying the history of our ancestors' establishment and implementation of sovereignty over these archipelagos is extremely important. In this case, researchers in general, especially historians, have made very positive contributions.

We know that after China used force to occupy the Hoang Sa archipelago in early 1974, a year later, the Journal of History and Geography published in Saigon published a special issue on Hoang Sa, gathering Vietnamese intellectuals at home and abroad to collect documents, research, and analyze to affirm the historical and legal basis of Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos. It is also necessary to add that these initial research results are extremely important suggestions for studying Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos in terms of history and law.

In the early 90s of the last century, a large comprehensive program of the State on the East Sea and islands was implemented, including scientific research activities. Hanoi National University (then Hanoi University of Science) actively participated in this program. I remember, the project code of the University of Science was BD-HD.01, chaired by Professor Dang Ung Van, researching issues of geography, history and law (in which, the branch of historical research was called "History of Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos", code BD-HD 01-01, chaired by Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc). It was the staff of Hanoi National University who worked hard from Sa Ky estuary to Ly Son island to search for evidence of the activities of the Hoang Sa team, turning each page of the Nguyen Dynasty's royal records to look for documents reflecting the Nguyen Dynasty's sovereignty enforcement activities in Hoang Sa... The collections of documents on Vietnam's sovereignty in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa have been initially built (ancient documents, ancient maps and field documents of Vietnam affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos; Western documents, especially maps, directly or indirectly reflecting Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, and especially documents of China itself denying or not reflecting their sovereignty over these archipelagos...). Up to now, our collection of documents has been quite a lot and will continue to be more solid. The above results are an important basis for scientists from Hanoi National University to contribute their voices when the East Sea issue heats up.

Currently, in response to the demands of the new situation, as a leading multidisciplinary university in the country, Hanoi National University needs to demonstrate its potential and responsibility for the East Sea issue. In fact, in recent days, since China began its actions infringing upon Vietnam's sovereignty, scientists from Hanoi National University have been very active in all forums, especially in proving the history and legality of Vietnam's sovereignty over its seas and islands on the basis of international law, clearly pointing out the wrongdoings and disregard for the law and morality of China.

The leaders of Hanoi National University have also given timely and specific instructions on this issue. Certainly, Hanoi National University will actively participate in building a dossier on the sea and islands, especially historical documents on Vietnam's sovereignty, the legal basis of that sovereignty based on international law and especially bringing those documents to the world, to governments, organizations, individuals and especially scholars, to make the world know the truth.

- This event also warns us about the need to build a stronger national strength when the danger of foreign invasion is imminent. What do you think about this comment?

The internal strength of a nation must be understood to include both material strength and spiritual strength. The historical reality of fighting against foreign invaders shows that we can only win when we have the synthesis of both of these sources of strength.

That spiritual strength is patriotism crystallized from love for the homeland; is love for compatriots with the spirit of "people in the same country must love each other"; is pride in the glorious history and national culture that Nguyen Trai summarized at the beginning of the 15th century: "Like our Dai Viet country from the past; Has long been known as a cultural foundation"; is the spirit of national independence - the ultimate goal and sacred duty of every generation of Vietnamese people; is a deep awareness of national sovereignty and the determination to firmly protect that sovereignty with the spirit of "Sacrificing for the Fatherland"; is national pride and self-respect... That tradition, that ideology was formed through thousands of years of history, through thousands of years under foreign domination, through dozens of large and small wars to defend the country, and was forged into a valuable spiritual product, passed down from generation to generation.

But spiritual strength alone is not enough, we must promote that strength in building and developing material strength. Patriotism must be "activated" to become an internal force for development, to build a strong Vietnam, with enough material and spiritual strength to firmly protect national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

- As a researcher and lecturer on Vietnamese history, what can you summarize about the lessons of our ancestors in defending the country?

I have said that Vietnam has a strategic position in many aspects, and is adjacent to a powerful neighbor who always has expansionist ambitions. Therefore, since the dawn of the country, we have faced the pressure of foreign invasion. Historical facts show that no nation in the world has had to wage as many wars against foreign invasion as Vietnam, and has always had to confront the most powerful forces. We have all achieved final victory, but not without failures: the failure in Trieu Da's resistance against Nam Viet in 179 BC, the failure of Ho Quy Ly and the Ho Dynasty in the resistance against the Ming in the early 15th century, the failure of the Nguyen Dynasty in the resistance against the French in the late 19th century.

Failures have many causes and all leave profound historical lessons: An Duong Vuong lost his vigilance, Ho Quy Ly lost the people's trust, the Nguyen Dynasty had an exhausted country, the king and his subjects were weak and cowardly... So the lesson here is very simple: we must always be vigilant, the people must be of one mind, the country must be strong and when the Fatherland is invaded, from the king to the people, we must have the determination to fight to the end for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The above lessons, right now, are being realized more strongly than ever.

- Personally, how do you think the country and people of Vietnam will overcome this difficulty?

First of all, we must believe completely that patriotism and solidarity are traditional spiritual values ​​of the Vietnamese people that have been crystallized over thousands of years of building and defending the Fatherland. And as always, whenever the Fatherland is in danger, the spirit of patriotism and solidarity will arise and be promoted. But it will only arise most strongly and be promoted to the highest level if there is unity of heart from top to bottom.

It is true that we are facing many difficulties and challenges, but in the history of Vietnam and in the nearly 70-year history of the new Vietnam, the country has faced many more serious difficulties and challenges, and we have overcome them all. History shows that to overcome all difficulties and challenges, there must be steadfastness and wisdom of those responsible for the fate of the country, which can only be achieved on the basis of the solidarity and determination of the entire nation, the unity of will of the entire nation. The event of China violating Vietnam's sovereignty in recent days is also a "test" of the patriotism and solidarity of the Vietnamese people. Everything that the Vietnamese people, both inside and outside the country, have expressed through their attitudes and actions in recent days has shown the world that, for the Vietnamese people, national territorial sovereignty is absolutely sacred, and every Vietnamese person will do everything possible to protect that sacred sovereignty.

 Thank you very much.