Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng (right) visits people of northern Bắc Ninh Province yesterday ahead of Tết (Lunar New Year). —VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng urged Party committees, authorities and organisations at all level in northern Bắc Ninh Province to ensure a happy Tết (Lunar New Year) for all residents, including revolution contributors, disadvantaged and low-income households, and workers.

He was speaking while visiting and extending Tết greetings to the Party organisation, administration, and people of northern Bắc Ninh Province on Monday.

Reporting on the province's achievements, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Đào Hồng Lan said from a wholly agricultural locality with underdeveloped infrastructure, Bắc Ninh had established itself as a modernity-oriented industrialised province that was among the leading localities nationwide in terms of many socio-economic indexes.

It was also one of the best performers in foreign investment attraction, she said, noting that 38 countries and territories had come to invest US$21.2 billion in Bắc Ninh.

The province had taken strong and flexible moves in response to the COVID-19 pandemic last year to swiftly revitalise production and business activities and adapt to the new normal, Lan added.

Congratulating Bắc Ninh on its substantial efforts and achievements, General Secretary Trọng asked the province to continue upholding its glorious traditions so as to build an increasingly clean and strong Party organisation and political system and become an exemplary Party organisation of the entire nation.

He underlined that economic development must be promoted in tandem with cultural and social development, especially the maintenance of local cultural values as well as the country’s advanced culture deeply imbued with the national identity

The leader expressed his belief that the province’s Party organisation, administration, and people would stay united to step up reforms while achieving and surpassing the targets set at the 20th provincial Party Congress in order to secure sustainable development.

He also requested the province to continue effectively implementing social security policies and measures to reduce poverty, sustainably ensure social equality; and take care of the material and spiritual life of local citizens, particularly revolution contributors, disadvantaged and low-income households, and workers.

The province would need to pay more attention to improving education and training quality and science and technology, keeping social safety and order, strengthening national defence, and promoting corruption and wastefulness prevention and control, he said.

On this occasion, the Party chief and senior officials offered incense at Đô Temple, a special national relic site dedicated to eight kings of the Lý Dynasty (1010 - 1225), and met with artisans of the Quan họ Băc Ninh folk songs - part of the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. — VNS