President Võ Văn Thưởng visited the people of Thanh Thuỷ Commune, Thanh Chương District, Nghệ An Province, on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

NGHỆ AN — President Võ Văn Thưởng presented gifts and extended warm Tết greetings to people in Thanh Chương District, and officers and soldiers at Thanh Thuỷ Border Guard Station in the central province of Nghệ An on Wednesday.

Visiting Thanh Chương District, President Thưởng lauded the efforts made by the local Party Organisation, administration and residents to overcome challenges and obtain significant socio-economic achievements, with the rates of poor and near-poor households falling to 3.4 per cent and 5.7 per cent, respectively, much lower than the province’s average.

The Party and State always put the people at the centre of development policies, and pay due attention to taking care of the impoverished and those with difficult circumstances and policy beneficiary families, he stressed.

The President requested the local Party Organisation, authorities and people to improve livelihoods of residents, well implement the social security policy and ensure that there will be no poor and near-poor households in the coming time.

On the occasion, President Thưởng and leaders of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front, Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour, Việt Nam Red Cross Society and Nghệ An Province presented Tết gifts to families of people who rendered service to the nation, families with difficult circumstances, poor people, and workers.

President Võ Văn Thưởng and officers and soldiers at the Thanh Thuỷ Border Guard Station. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

In a meeting with officers and soldiers at the Thanh Thuỷ Border Guard Station, the State leader hailed their efforts and congratulated them on the outstanding achievements they have made to contribute to building a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

Laying stress on the significance of the Thanh Thuỷ Border Gate to the country’s trade and economy, President Thưởng underscored that smooth immigration and trade activities via the gate will help bolster local socio-economic development as well as maintain a peaceful and stable borderline.

He ordered the border guard force to promote solidarity and creativity, handle problems in the area in a timely manner, ensure sound trade activities, and prevent trade frauds.

The officers and soldiers must stay vigilant and defeat all sabotage plots and riots by hostile forces, he said, adding they should cooperate well with the border guard force of Laos to carry out joint missions. — VNS