Sinh learned to make terracotta when he was little and has been living off it. He always tries to diversify his products to match customers’ tastes. In late 2013, he saw a replica of the Truong Sa sovereignty marker and decided to try making replica markers from the clay of his home province. Sinh failed a couple of times before succeeding. The replica, after being molded, is sun-dried and baked for two days. It is then painted and decorated with a red flag with a gold star in the center. The engraved characters on the 400 gram sovereignty marker say: Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Truong Sa Islands, Latitude 08 degrees 38 minutes 30 seconds, Longitude 111 degrees 55 minutes 55 seconds.

Sinh said it required patience and meticulousness to make this replica: “First, I had to choose the right clay and mix it with water before shaping it with a mould. It was then dried and baked for two days. The base was then created and glued to the body and the whole product was framed.”

Each month Sinh can produce up to 800 products. Sinh said he does not do this for money but hopes that everyone will see the markers as a strong assertion of Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Truong Sa islands: “I’m Vietnamese and I want to spread patriotism among young people. I hope we will stay united to defend our maritime sovereignty.”

Sinh’s replicas of the Truong Sa sovereignty marker have been ordered by state agencies and schools in Hon Dat district. Secretary of Hon Dat district’s Youth Union Do Thi Phuong Tam said: I hope that more people will become aware of the sovereignty marker on Truong Sa and that each Vietnamese person will be a living sovereignty marker.”