Ancient documents prove Vietnam’s control over Paracel Islands (photo)
VietNamNet Bridge – Many documents dated back to the 18th and early 20th centuries, which are published in the Hoang Sa (Paracel Islands) Yearbook, demonstrate Vietnam’s uninterrupted management over this archipelago.
An instruction issued by a general of the Tay Son Dynasty dated February 14, 1786, instructed the Hoang Sa flotilla to send four boats to Hoang Sa to carry gold, silver, bronze and seafood products to the capital.
A document discovered in My Loi village, Phu Loc district in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue with contents of a lawsuit between My Toan and An Bang wards over the dispute of a broken ship of the Hoang Sa flotilla which drifted into the shore. According to this document, the Hoang Sa flotilla operated in 1760, under the reign of King Le Hien Tong. This flotilla was responsible to manage and explore specialties from Hoang Sa Archipelago. The document was in Chinese scripts, on day do (do paper).
A four-page document preserved by the Dang family on Ly Son Island of the central province of Quang Ngai, which noted that on April 15, 1834, Quang Ngai officials sent three ships to guard Hoang Sa Archipelago. Researchers said that this document contains valuable information, including the names and the hometown of each soldier.
A wood-block of the Nguyen Dynasty, in the Dai Nam Thuc Luc Chinh Bien De Nhi Ky historical book, 1836, noted that Hoang Sa was part of Vietnam’s territory.
One of the reports of Da Nang authorities dated June 26, 1830, sent to the court said that Vietnamese soldiers on Hoang Sa archipelago rescued a French cargo ship in Hoang Sa waters.
A report to King Minh Mang dated July 13, 1837 about a trip to Hoang Sa of the Hoang Sa flotilla.
Another report dated June 21, 1838, to the King about the exploration and mapping of Hoang Sa Archipelago.
Instruction No.10 of King Bao Dai on the transfer of Hoang Sa Archipelago from Quang Ngai province to Thua Thien province’s management.