President Vo Van Thuong with officials, officers and people of Phu Quy island. (Photo: VNA)

The pole is one of the sovereignty flag poles built on outpost islands from the North to the South as part of projects launched by the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Association of Vietnamese Students and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV).

Later, President Thuong planted a bang vuong (square-fruit Malabar Almond) tree which symbolises the strong spirit, vitality, and unwavering love for the Fatherland, its seas and islands.

Also in Phu Quy island district, the President visited and presented gifts and over 1,000 national flags to local fishermen.

He also handed over gifts to officers and soldiers of Radar Station 55 of Battalion 292, Division 337 of the Air Defence - Air Force stationed on Phu Quy island.

Talking with the Party organisation, administration, officers, soldiers and people of Phu Quy island district, the State leader praised them for building Phu Quy into the first new-style rural district of Binh Thuan and the second island district nationwide to achieve the status.

President Vo Van Thuong pays working trip to Phu Quy island district. (Photo: VNA)

The President stressed the need to clearly define the task of ensuring defence and security of and firmly safeguarding Phu Quy island as a top priority of the Party organisation, officers, soldiers and people of the island district along with economic development.

Phu Quy must implement well the task of the rear and an important transshipment point for Truong Sa and DK1 platform and serve offshore fishing vessels, he said.

Apart from stepping up the adoption of sci-tech in fishing, seafood preservation and processing, Phu Quy island needs to pay special attention to the development of tourism as a spearhead industry, offering diverse and quality tourism products and services that reflect the local unique identity, he said.