(VOVworld)- Quang Ngai province organized a festival on Sunday in An Hai commune, Ly Son district, to pay gratitude to Hoang Sa troops who established Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands under the Nguyen dynasty hundreds of years ago.

Mr. Le Hoai An, Chairman of the An Hai Communal People’s Committee, said: "In the second lunar month, clans in An Hai commune organize a festival to pay gratitude to Hoang Sa soldiers who obeyed the royal court’s order to establish Vietnam’s border in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa and exploit fisheries. The islanders now continue to stay on the islands to affirm and defend nation sovereignty.”

To mark the occasion, a boat racing was held drawing thousands of spectators.