HƯNG YÊN — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Nguyễn Phú Trọng extended the best wishes to officials and people of Hưng Yên while visiting the northern province on Monday (February 19) - the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. 

Reporting on Hưng Yên’s achievements, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Đỗ Tiến Sỹ said last year, the province collected VNĐ1.2 trillion (US$52.86 million) for the State budget, 13 per cent higher than the set target. The industry made up 51 per cent of the local economic structure when Hưng Yên was striving to become an industrial province in the near future. 
Hưng Yên attracted 255 investment projects in 2017, equivalent to the total number recorded in the previous three years, he said, adding that it paid due attention to the building of the Party and political system, and stepped up the communications, mass mobilisation, examination work, and attraction of young intellectuals to localities. 
Applauding Hưng Yên’s performances, General Secretary Trọng said he can see the reform and development of the province whenever he visits the province. 
He offered Tết greetings and expressed his hope that the Party organisation, administration and people of Hưng Yên will maintain solidarity and bring into play local traditions as well as accomplishments and experience so as to build a developed and wealthy province. 
The same day, the Party leader and a large number of local residents attended a ceremony in Hiến Nam Ward of Hưng Yên City to launch the tree planting festival. 
The tree planting festival was initiated by late President Hồ Chí Minh in the spring of 1960. Since then, it has become a cultural practice in every spring with a view to improving the environment and greening the country. 
In Hưng Yên, the tree planting festival is an annual activity which has received warm response from local people. In 2017, 620,300 trees were planted across the province, including more than 590,000 longan, lychee, orange, grapefruit and tangerine trees. 
The spring tree planting movement has helped encourage agricultural restructuring and gear local agriculture towards large-scale crop production, thereby greatly contributing to the province’s socio-economic development. 
The same day, Party General Secretary Trọng laid a wreath at the statue of late Party General Secretary Nguyễn Văn Linh, who made significant contributions to the country’s revolution and reform, in Hiến Nam Ward of Hưng Yên City. 
He also visited and extended Tết greetings to workers of the Hưng Long II Garment Joint Stock Company in Lam Sơn Ward of Hưng Yên City. — VNS