“Your son has grown up and is now a navy soldier of the Vietnamese People’s Army. I cannot be home with you during Tet as I’m on duty here to defend the country’s territorial waters for other people to enjoy the festival. Yet, I and my comrades in arm still have a joyful Tet together with other islanders. On the occasion of the new year, may I wish – mum and other family members- good health and happiness. I promise you to do my best. I miss you mum”. That’s a part of a letter to his mother by Nguyen Thanh Son, a young navy stationed at Van Gia Island, Mong Cai City, Quang Ninh Province.

We visited the Van Gia Island a month ahead of Tet.

While we were waiting for a boat to go there at Mui Ngoc (the Cape of Pearl), suddenly we remembered the song “Spring at a border gate” written by the late composer Tran Hoan and related the song to border soldiers who are on duty there. The idea made us only too eager to reach the island.

Finally the boat came and we boarded and went to the island. It took us about 40 minutes to arrive at the island.

We were welcomed by Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Duc Manh, deputy political commissar at the Van Gia border post.

Van Gia island is an administrative unit affiliated to Mong Cai City. It has two communes – Vinh Trung and Vinh Thuc - with a total population of over 4,000 people.

Manh told us he and his soldiers had prepared for the greatest festival of the year by growing vegetables and raising chickens and 5 pigs – each weighing about 100 kg. In addition, many sports events and cultural activities had been planned for the occasion, particularly a volley ball competition between the navy soldiers and young people from Vinh Trung and Vinh Thuc communes.

Private Nguyễn Thanh Sơn, born in 1990, in Đông Triều, Quảng Ninh said this was the first time he was away from home during Tet. The same was true for Dinh Quang Dieu, born in 1989 in Gia Loc District, Hai Duong province.

Both Son and Dieu told us they missed their families but said “duty is duty – we will hold the guns firm to ensure other people can have a joyful Tet”.

Close bond between people and the soldiers

The sea and islands have hold a high position in the nation’s economic development and defence. For border guards stationed on the island their service is very important and highly appreciated.

In addition to their military training, the soldiers have participated in civil activities to help people living on the island, particularly the poor. In 2009, they spend hundreds of work days to build 7 solidarity houses for poor households.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Dan, people on the island mainly live on rice farming and fishing. Natural calamities and a high level of acidity in the water have made the people’s lives more difficult. As an indirect result, many children are forced to stay at home to help their parents with field work or house work.

However, coordinating with the island administration we come to each household to persuade the parents to send their children to school.

“We now have primary and junior high schools on the island, but as yet no senior high school. For senior high school they have to go to Mong Cai City. That’s why the number of children attending senior high school on the island is very few”, said Dan.

During our stay, we visited Mr Doan Van Binh’s home – he had two sons who had laid down their lives for the nation’s independence and freedom.

We were given a warm welcome by the Binh family.

“This house was built by the local administration and the navy soldiers. My family is now in a great debt to them. The house will shelter us from hot or cold weather”, said Binh.

Learning that a group of reporters was visiting Binh’s home, some of the neighbours went to greet us and congratulate Binh. They treated us to many stories about what the border guards had done for them, particularly in health care, education and salvaged activities at sea.