Authorities of the two provinces, Bac Ninh in the north and Ba Ria Vung Tau in the south, yesterday presented two speedboats to theTruong Sa (Spratly) archipelago for patrol and rescue missions in the East Sea.

The model of the speedboat CQ1 gifted to Truong Sa, Photo: Tuoi Tre

Manufactured by the Techniques General Directorate of the High Command of Navy, the speedboats belong to CQ class and each has a value of VND3.5 billion (US$168,300).

“The supplementing of the vehicles helps Vietnamese forces in Truong Sa patrol to defend national maritime sovereignty and join rescue missions,” said senior lieutenant colonel Nguyen Van Thu -- deputy political commissar and vice chairman of the People’s Council in Truong Sa island district.

Now, all 33 islands of Vietnam in Truong Sa are equipped with the CQ speedboat, Thu added.

Earlier, Hanoi sponsored building a cultural house worth VND24 billion ($1.15 million) on the Song Tu Tay island in Truong Sa.

Tuoi Tre Newspaper had launched the ‘Let’s Build Truong Sa’ fund and raised a total d of over VND42 billion ($2 billion) from donations contributed by Vietnamese people, of which VND17 billion was spent to build a three-storey community house on Da Tay island. It was inaugurated this month.

Source: tuoi tre