In a bid to assert its sovereignty on the "disputed" Spratly islands in the South China Sea in the face of Chinese aggression, Vietnam is reportedly offering patriotic citizens "the holiday of a lifetime" with a cruise to hotly-contested archipelago.
A special USD 800 promotion offer will provide 180 Vietnamese the chance to see two reefs and two islands in the Spratlys or Truong Sa in Vietnamese, and take part in night fishing, visit a lighthouse and enjoy local seafood during a six-day cruise, reports The Guardian.
The promotion compared the trip to an experience that would revive national pride in the Vietnamese and make them aware of the sacred maritime sovereignty of the country.
The cruise mirrors those offered by China on ships like its "Coconut Princess" and illustrates a growing civilian presence in the sea.
The Spratly islands have long been a subject of dispute between Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and China. Beijing claims almost nine-tenths of the South China Sea, a vital global shipping lane.
