Communication work on sea and islands in coastal localities: Raising awareness of each citizen

WVR - As two of the 28 coastal provinces and cities in Vietnam, Thanh Hoa and Ca Mau are two typical examples of promoting comprehensive, flexible and diverse island communication to each citizen.
Hội Chữ thập đỏ (CTĐ) tỉnh Thanh Hóa đã phối hợp với Hội CTĐ TP.Thanh Hóa, trường tiểu học Quảng Thắng (TP.Thanh Hóa) tổ chức chương trình tuyên truyền về biển đảo và tặng quà cho học sinh nhân dịp năm học mới 2023-2024.
The Red Cross Association of Thanh Hoa province organized a communication program about the sea and islands and give gifts to students on new schoolyear 2023-2024. (Source: Nhan Dao Magazine Online)

Combinination of traditional and modern methods

Thanh Hoa is a province located in the North Central region, with a large area, large population and 102km long coastline, with Nghi Son deep-water port acting as a large opening to the sea of the North Central region, Northwest and Northern provinces of Laos.

In recent years, the Province has made efforts to implement communication work on the sea and islands in such the rich and diverse forms, suitable to the situation of the Province, contributing to promoting socio-economic development and ensuring security in the area.

In particular, in 2023, the Province has made many innovations in implementing forms of communication on sea and islands which is an increasingly diverse and effective direction, in accordance with the explosive development of information technology.

On the one hand, Thanh Hoa province effectively promotes traditional communication methods such as word-of-mouth propaganda; visual propaganda (using hoardings, slogans, mobile film screenings...); internal newsletter, communication outline; creating conditions for artists to participate in composing and performing on the topic of seas, islands, borders, promoting the image, culture of Thanh Hoa, etc. Press agencies in the area increasingly play an important role in deploying and implementing the mission of maritime and island communication. In 2023, with nearly 300 news, articles, and reports on the sea and islands, it has helped inform, communicate, and spread quickly and widely information to many different audiences, making an important contribution to the communication work on the sea and islands, effectively protect Vietnam's legitimate rights and interests in the East Sea.

On the other hand, in the context of having many new innovations in promoting the application of scientific and technological advances, new communication methods, especially the internet and social networking platforms, electronic newspapers have specialized foreign language pages, electronic information portals and social networking pages of agencies, units, officials and party members to help provide quick and complete information with attractive contents and forms. Which helps to communicate with a large number of people, especially young people. Using social platforms is highly effective in leading and regulating public opinion, creating a strong viral effect.

Thanh Hoa also promote digital transformation, focusing on foreign communication information on the sea and islands in the forms of online knowledge contests, bringing new experiences, suitable for young people, reaching a large number of people in Vietnam and abroad; creating conditions for the Vietnamese community abroad and international friends understand accurately, fully and support Vietnam's viewpoints, guidelines and policies in resolving issues related to the sea and islands, in accordance with international regulations, Vietnam's regulations and international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982)...

In 2023, the Province has focused on widely communicating three key contents to raise awareness of officials, party members and people about Vietnam's seas and islands. In particular, the Province strengthens the provision of basic and comprehensive information and knowledge on issues related to the sea and islands at times in the context that China increases activities which violate the international law and commitments on the East Sea and the province has to fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing so that European Commission (EC) to remove the 'yellow card' for Vietnamese seafood.

In the past year, many of the Province's island and sea communication programs and activities have created resonance such as activities to visit Me and Ne islands; sea cleaning activities, marine environmental sanitation; "Island border gratitude" activities; "homeland sea and island"...

Ban Tuyên giáo Tỉnh uỷ phối hợp Bộ Tư lệnh Hải quân Vùng 5 tổ chức tuyên truyền biển, đảo năm 2023 trực tuyến đến 8 điểm cầu trên địa bàn huyện.
The Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department of Ca Mau coordinated with the Naval Command Region 5 to organize online communication on the sea and islands in 2023. (Source: Ca Mau Online)

Contributing to the removal of 'yellow cards'

Ca Mau is one of 28 coastal provinces and cities in the country and is the only province with 3 sides bordering the sea with a coastline of 245km. Ca Mau sea and islands still face certain difficulties. It is a large area, with an intricate system of rivers and streams. The coastal area of Ca Mau has many scattered residential clusters, most of which are free migrants with difficult lives.

Over the past years, the Ca Mau Provincial Party Committee has always determined the position, role and importance of information and communication work on the sea and islands in raising awareness, consciousness and responsibility of people from all strata about the sea and islands, the missions of protecting the sovereignty, seas and islands of Vietnam.

Implementing the Provincial Coordination Plan signed in 2023, the Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission coordinated with Naval Squadron 42 to organize the contest "I love my homeland's islands and seas"; implement the Mass Mobilization program "Coast Guard accompanies fishermen", etc. The Provincial Party Committee's Department for Information and Education directs provincial media, such as Ca Mau newspaper, Radio, Provincial Television, Provincial electronic information portal, and local electronic information pages to enhance sharing of information about Vietnam's seas and islands. The province's press agencies regularly send reporters and journalists to write news, articles, photos, communication reports, reflecting the activities of the Border Guard, Coast Guard, and Navy in their work, protecting the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

Ca Mau province's highlight in sea and islands communication in 2023 is its determination to communicate against IUU fishing and seafood exploitation. The Provincial Party Standing Committee has directed the Provincial Party Committee's Department for Indormation and Education to coordinate with the Navy Region 5 Command to organize sea and islands communication in 4 coastal districts with more than 1 thousand officials, party members, union members, armed forces, students and people, especially people living on the coast. This program contributed to the whole country’s efforts to remove the EC's “yellow card” on Vietnam's fisheries exploitation.

Communication work on the sea and islands has made an important contribution to making officials, party members, union members and the public more fully aware of the position, role and importance of the sea and islands in socio-economic development, national defense, security, combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. As 100% of fishing vessels operating at sea have been fitted with VMS cruise monitoring devices, it is helping officials, party members and people in the Province clearly understand Vietnam's stance and policies in resolving issues related to the sea and islands, in protecting and developing the peaceful, cooperative and friendly relationship between Vietnam and relevant countries in the East Sea, minimizing the situation of illegal exploitation in foreign waters, contributing to firmly protecting the sovereignty and security of the province's maritime borders.

Thus, although each province has their own different geographical locations bordering the sea and different population characteristics, Thanh Hoa and Ca Mau always attach importance to information and communication work on islands and seas, considering this as keys to strengthening awareness of each citizen about the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

TIN LIÊN QUAN
CPV, Argentina’s political parties enhance communication exchange
An envoy that spreads love for the homeland's seas and islands
Southern coastal provinces fight on IUU fishing: MARD
Vietnam's indisputable sovereignty over Paracel and Spratly Islands
Effectively implementing external information work on seas and islands, land border demarcation and marker planting