(VOVworld) - A foundation aimed at supporting studies on the East Sea made its debut in Hanoi on Thursday. The East Sea Research Foundation (ESRF) is co-founded by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and former officials at the Foreign Ministry with an initial financing of more than 5 billion dong.

ESRF grants awards to some outstanding research on the East Sea during the inauguration ceremony on March, 2014

The Academy Director Dang Dinh Quy, chairman of the foundation, expected to attract the participation of the whole of society and create a connection between donors and intellectuals in the protection of national sea and island sovereignty:“The foundation will promote a pool of researchers and networking among research community. This will build up more research capacity in the field and serves as a channel to seek and gather competent individuals for the research of East Sea issues as well as raise public awareness of the protection of the nation’s sea and island sovereignty. ”