Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh has stressed the crucial role playedby seas and islands in socio-economic development, politics, nationaldefence and security in almost all countries worldwide, especiallycoastal nations.

He made the remark at a meetingto mark the Vietnam Sea and Island Week 2013 themed “Join hands fornational seas and islands” and World Ocean Day in the central provinceof Ha Tinh on June 8.

The Resolution of the fourthConference of the Party Central Committee on Vietnam Marine Strategyuntil 2020 set the goal of turning Vietnam into a strong andprosperous country from marine resources, and ensuring nationalsovereignty and sovereign rights over seas and islands, contributing tothe cause of industrialisation and modernisation.

To realise such goals, Deputy PM Ninh asked ministries, departments andlocalities to continue upholding the strongest determination of theentire Party, people and armed forces to safeguard Vietnam’ssovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over seas and islands,affirm Vietnam’s indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) andTruong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes.

He also urgedthem to perfect policies and laws on seas and islands, acceleratesocio-economic development in tandem with ensuring national defence andsecurity, and the development between coastal areas and plain and urbanareas.

Minister of Natural Resources andEnvironment Nguyen Minh Quang also highlighted the responsibilities androles of each Vietnamese, organisation and business in protectingenvironment and national seas and islands.

Vietnamhas a sea area and continental shelf of more than 1 million sq. km and acoastline of over 3,260km with over 3,000 big and small islands,including Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes.-VNA