President congratulates Vietnamese navy on 60th anniversary   President Truong Tan Sang shakes hand with Vietnamese navy soldiers at a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of the Vietnamese navy in the central province of Khanh Hoa. VNA/VNS Photo KHANH HOA (VNS) – The Vietnam People's Navy is the core service in safeguarding sea and island sovereignty while maintaining long-term regional peace and cooperation, said State President Truong Tan Sang. He was delivering a remark at a ceremony celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Vietnamese navy in the central province of Khanh Hoa on May 2. On August 2 and 5, 1964, Vietnamese naval soldiers and their vessels, in coordination with other forces, drove the US destroyer USS Maddox and aircraft out of Vietnam's territorial waters in the Tonkin Gulf, marking the first victory for the northern army in the resistance war against the US aggressors, Deputy Defence Minister Admiral Nguyen Van Hien recalled at the event. During the 1975 Spring General Offensive, the force together with other units liberated several islands on Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, contributing to the full liberation of the nation. It later fulfilled the task of helping Cambodians escape from genocidal regime. In his speech, President Sang called on the navy to build itself into a revolutionary, modern and capable force and extend external relations with navies from all over the world. The navy must show more initiative in overseeing developments at sea and advise the Party and State on strategic policies to promptly deal with any incident, he urged. At his behest, it should continue raising public awareness of sea and island sovereignty, improve the management of self-defence forces and natural resources at sea, and offer assistance to fishermen in their trade or search-and-rescue. On Party building mission, the force was required to keep building a healthy and strong Party Committee as part of preparations towards the 10th Party Congress of the Army and the 12th National Party Congress. On the occasion, the State leader pinned the insignia of "Hero of the People's Armed Forces" onto the flag of the navy. - VNS