Vietnam’s soft diplomacy

Ly Son Island is a living museum documenting Vietnam’s claims to the Paracels and Spratlys

China’s unilateral sovereignty claims on more than 80 percent of the international sea and massive military build-up on artificial islands over the past two years has sparked a sea change in Vietnam’s identity, from a Red River delta rice producing culture to a maritime nation. These shifts in the nation’s narrative are now marked by stories about Vietnam’s ancestral fishing grounds and its identity as a sea-oriented country.
Vietnam’s S-shaped long coral reef surrounded coastline runs along the eastern border down to the south, stretching more than 3,500 kilometers. About 80 percent of the population lives by the shore.
Out at sea, thousands of coral reefs, sea grass beds, and other shallow-water ecosystems are rapidly being destroyed and buried as China rushes to stake claim to the region. Beijing’s land reclamation project is undermining the ecological connection between the Spratly Islands and the South China Sea, choking off the supply of nutrients upon which these ecosystems depend.
In a recent interview in Hanoi with Dr. Nguyen Linh Ngoc, deputy minister of natural resources and environment, we discussed the importance of enhancing cooperation for sustainable development, especially in climate change adaptation, food security, energy security, and water resources security. These are both urgent demands and generators of significant momentum for sustainable development in every country and throughout the region.
“The coral reefs in Truong Sa (Spratlys) archipelagos play a very important role in maintaining biodiversity and marine fishery sources. It’s disappointing that the ongoing dredging and construction activities by China have been destroying the most important marine habitats of the sea, accelerating the environmental degradation of the area,” says Ngoc.
What is clear is that the deeply rooted history of Ly Son is not entirely about the more prominently argued issues of atolls, exclusive economic zones (EEZs), freedom of navigation, military surveillance, or unexplored vast oil and gas reserves. It may actually be more about accessing fishing grounds, restating cultural heritage, and memorializing history and sacrifice in the Paracels.
In the context of tensions with Beijing and their competing claims over the potentially energy-rich South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year, the Vietnamese are asserting their so-called “historic rights” to maritime resources through the stories of their sailors of the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa navies, who had sacrificed their lives at sea.
The 20,000 residents on Ly Son Island have two main occupations, fishing and garlic cultivation. Ly Son has a long tradition of fishing. The island’s harbor floats close to 400 fishing boats many with a large capacity for offshore fishing. Each day these fishermen know that their livelihood is under attack. It’s no wonder that families with increasing regularity visit the island’s Hoang Sa Kiem Bac Hai flotilla memorial, since their husbands, fathers, and sons’ traditional wooden trawlers are rammed and sunk by Chinese naval or coast guard vessels.
Fourth generation fisherman Pham Quang Tinh faces down the threats each time he leaves his protected harbor. However, he believes the sea is for all and that the Paracels have been part of his ancestral fishing grounds.
Not long after the founding of the Nguyen Dynasty, the feudal rulers made every effort from the 17th century to consolidate Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Paracels and the Spratly islands. More recently, Vietnam has chosen to frame its sovereignty claims by citing historical documents, poems, and colorful stories of patriotic Vietnamese sailors who sacrificed their lives defending the islands.
This story is commemorated through the annual Hoang Sa (Paracels) flotilla, established with 70 sailors selected from An Vinh commune (Ly Son). In the third month of every year, they sailed for about three days to the Paracels, where they collected goods, measured sea routes, and affirmed Vietnam’s sovereignty.
Poet, scholar, and national treasure Vo Hien Dat, now 86 years old, has meticulously studied details about Ly Son’s maritime history and territorial claims on the Paracels and Spratlys. Dat, writes, “the merit of the ancestors of Ly Son islanders is boundless/ The progeny needs to continue sailing.”
Ly Son Island is considered a living museum for Hoang Sa artifacts. The museum displays more than 1,000 documents, photos, and artifacts associated with the heroic Hoang Sa and Truong Sa troops.
The museum’s youthful director, Minh Tuan Vo, believes that the present conflict with China over the South China Sea evokes strong emotions in Vietnam. Increasing numbers of Vietnamese assert their affection for the nation’s ancestral fishing grounds at the largely uninhabited islands of the Paracels and Spratlys.
Vietnam exercises its soft diplomacy by incorporating documents and narratives to demonstrate their historical footprint in the Paracels. In many conversations with Ly Son residents, they proudly reveal their ancestors’ adventurous explorations in the Paracel Islands, dating back as far back as the 18th century.

The writer is a Faculty Associate at the Walker Institute at the University of South Carolina

Vietnams soft diplomacy

Ly Son Island is a living museum documenting Vietnams claims to the Paracels and Spratlys

Chinas unilateral sovereignty claims on more than 80 percent of the international sea and massive military build-up on artificial islands over the past two years has sparked a sea change in Vietnams identity, from a Red River delta rice producing culture to a maritime nation. These shifts in the nations narrative are now marked by stories about Vietnams ancestral fishing grounds and its identity as a sea-oriented country. Vietnams S-shaped long coral reef surrounded coastline runs along the eastern border down to the south, stretching more than 3,500 kilometers. About 80 percent of the population lives by the shore. Out at sea, thousands of coral reefs, sea grass beds, and other shallow-water ecosystems are rapidly being destroyed and buried as China rushes to stake claim to the region. Beijings land reclamation project is undermining the ecological connection between the Spratly Islands and the South China Sea, choking off the supply of nutrients upon which these ecosystems depend. In a recent interview in Hanoi with Dr. Nguyen Linh Ngoc, deputy minister of natural resources and environment, we discussed the importance of enhancing cooperation for sustainable development, especially in climate change adaptation, food security, energy security, and water resources security. These are both urgent demands and generators of significant momentum for sustainable development in every country and throughout the region. The coral reefs in Truong Sa (Spratlys) archipelagos play a very important role in maintaining biodiversity and marine fishery sources. Its disappointing that the ongoing dredging and construction activities by China have been destroying the most important marine habitats of the sea, accelerating the environmental degradation of the area, says Ngoc. What is clear is that the deeply rooted history of Ly Son is not entirely about the more prominently argued issues of atolls, exclusive economic zones (EEZs), freedom of navigation, military surveillance, or unexplored vast oil and gas reserves. It may actually be more about accessing fishing grounds, restating cultural heritage, and memorializing history and sacrifice in the Paracels. In the context of tensions with Beijing and their competing claims over the potentially energy-rich South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year, the Vietnamese are asserting their so-called historic rights to maritime resources through the stories of their sailors of the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa navies, who had sacrificed their lives at sea. The 20,000 residents on Ly Son Island have two main occupations, fishing and garlic cultivation. Ly Son has a long tradition of fishing. The islands harbor floats close to 400 fishing boats many with a large capacity for offshore fishing. Each day these fishermen know that their livelihood is under attack. Its no wonder that families with increasing regularity visit the islands Hoang Sa Kiem Bac Hai flotilla memorial, since their husbands, fathers, and sons traditional wooden trawlers are rammed and sunk by Chinese naval or coast guard vessels. Fourth generation fisherman Pham Quang Tinh faces down the threats each time he leaves his protected harbor. However, he believes the sea is for all and that the Paracels have been part of his ancestral fishing grounds. Not long after the founding of the Nguyen Dynasty, the feudal rulers made every effort from the 17th century to consolidate Vietnams sovereignty over the Paracels and the Spratly islands. More recently, Vietnam has chosen to frame its sovereignty claims by citing historical documents, poems, and colorful stories of patriotic Vietnamese sailors who sacrificed their lives defending the islands. This story is commemorated through the annual Hoang Sa (Paracels) flotilla, established with 70 sailors selected from An Vinh commune (Ly Son). In the third month of every year, they sailed for about three days to the Paracels, where they collected goods, measured sea routes, and affirmed Vietnams sovereignty. Poet, scholar, and national treasure Vo Hien Dat, now 86 years old, has meticulously studied details about Ly Sons maritime history and territorial claims on the Paracels and Spratlys. Dat, writes, the merit of the ancestors of Ly Son islanders is boundless/ The progeny needs to continue sailing. Ly Son Island is considered a living museum for Hoang Sa artifacts. The museum displays more than 1,000 documents, photos, and artifacts associated with the heroic Hoang Sa and Truong Sa troops. The museums youthful director, Minh Tuan Vo, believes that the present conflict with China over the South China Sea evokes strong emotions in Vietnam. Increasing numbers of Vietnamese assert their affection for the nations ancestral fishing grounds at the largely uninhabited islands of the Paracels and Spratlys. Vietnam exercises its soft diplomacy by incorporating documents and narratives to demonstrate their historical footprint in the Paracels. In many conversations with Ly Son residents, they proudly reveal their ancestors adventurous explorations in the Paracel Islands, dating back as far back as the 18th century. The writer is a Faculty Associate at the Walker Institute at the University of South Carolina