A requiem was held on March 14 at Phat Tich pagoda in Vientiane in remembrance of the 64 soldiers who laid down their lives defending Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) in 1988.

The event saw the participation of former Vice President Truong My Hoa, Ambassador, Buddhist monks and followers, the Vietnamese community and a large number of students who are living and studying there.

Addressing the ceremony, Hoa spoke highly of the sacrifice by the martyrs and called on younger generations to bear in mind what the martyrs have done for them.

Venerable Thich Minh Quang, Head of the Coordinating Committee of Vietnamese Buddhism in Laos, said the youngsters should uphold the tradition of firmly defending the Fatherland./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency