Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh on January 24 paid a visit to wish a happy Lunar New Year to the officers and soldiers of army corps No2, one of the elite groups in the Vietnamese Armed Forces.

He recalled the corps’ brilliant feats of arms in the past, saying it launched a lightning assault on the Independence Palace - the headquarters of the Saigon puppet regime, arrested all its Cabinet members and contributed greatly to national liberation and reunification.

The party leader also highlighted the heavy tasks the corps must undertake in the new context and urged the force to heed the Party’s military line, stay combat ready, anticipate threats and fulfil any task in any situation.

The same day, Party leader Manh paid a Tet visit to the Party Committee and administration of Bac Giang province, about 50km from Hanoi.

He pointed out difficulties facing Vietnam in 2009 and asked Bac Giang to join hands with the entire nation to prevent economic slowdown, curb inflation, stabilise the macro economy and ensure social welfare.

He said that Bac Giang should pay due attention to pouring more investment into disadvantaged areas to narrow the development gap between the highland and lowland areas.

He reminded the province to protect the environment while carrying out investment projects and applying advanced technology to production.

The Party leader urged Bac Giang to strengthen its Party building work, considering it vital to their success, and to oversee preparations for grassroots-level Party congresses during the following tenure.

Later he visited and presented Tet gifts to several revolutionary veterans and heroic Vietnamese mothers in the province.

(Source: VOV)