President Vo Van Thuong visited soldiers and people in Co To island district on October 28, as part of his trip to attend a ceremony marking the northeastern province of Quang Ninh’s 60th founding anniversary.
President Thuong visited and presented gifts and national flags to fishermen at the anchorage and storm shelter area of the Fisheries Logistics Service Centre of Co To island which holds a particularly important position in defence and security in the northeastern waters of Vietnam.
He expressed his hope that local people always pay attention to ensuring safety and fishing in permitted fishing grounds; strictly comply with the provisions of international law and Vietnamese law on seafood exploitation; and strive to achieve high yields, contributing to the socio-economic development of the district and protecting the sovereignty over the Fatherland’s sea and islands.
Visiting officers and soldiers of Co To island Battalion of Brigade 242, Military Region 3, the President acknowledged and praised their efforts to overcome all difficulties and hardships to firmly protect the country's sovereignty over sea and islands.
Showing his delight to witness positive changes of Co To compared to what he saw more than 10 years ago, the State leader asked the island district to continue making the most of its potential and strengths, especially in aquatic product exploitation and farming, and sustainable protection of aquatic resources; become a solid logistics area for ships; protect the environment; and turn it into an ecological centre for preserving and promoting biodiversity.
The district's Party Organisation, administration, armed forces and people must always be deeply aware of the importance of the strategic and key position of the northeastern waters, thus considering the protection of the sovereignty over Co To island as the most important task, regularly raising the spirit of vigilance, and resolutely handling violations related to the sea and island sovereignty, he stressed./.