Polling stations in Bach Long Vi special zone, Hai Phong city, open at 6:30 a.m. on March 14 for the election to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils for the 2026–2031 term. (Photo: Thanh Nga/VOV)

Pham Thi Lan, a resident of Hamlet 1 in the Bach Long Vi Special Zone, said she was delighted to take part in the national vote. 

“I’m very happy to hold the ballot and exercise my civic right," said Ms. Lan. "For voters in the Bach Long Vi Special Zone, a remote island far from the mainland, the chance to vote early makes us even more aware of our sacred responsibility. We hope the deputies elected to the National Assembly and the People’s Councils will pay close attention to Bach Long Vi to make it more environmentally beautiful and develop into a major fishing logistics center in the Gulf of Tonkin.”

Voters in Bach Long Vi cast ballots one day ahead of the national election. (Photo: Thanh Nga/VOV)

Bach Long Vi is the furthest island in the Gulf of Tonkin, located more than 110 km from the mainland and has nearly 1,000 people. Local voters elected deputies to the National Assembly and the municipal People’s Council only.

Nguyen Van Hau, Vice Chairman of the Bach Long Vi Special Zone People’s Committee, said: “Officials, soldiers and residents in the Bach Long Vi special zone took part in the election with great enthusiasm. Fishermen at sea, people on shore, officers and soldiers of the armed forces stationed on the island, all have cast their ballots. From the earliest voters to the last, everyone lined up in an orderly way and cast their ballots following the instructions.”