Tra Vinh (VNA) - As the Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival is approaching, National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man visited and presented gifts to armed forcꩲes, families of revolutionary contributors, poor and near-poor households, ethnic minorities, and workers in d꧋ifficult circumstances in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh on January 11.

Local authorities reported that in 2024, despite challenges, Tra Vinh completed up to 26 out of the 27 set targets. Its GRDP expanded by 10.04%, ranking 8th nationwide and first in the Mekong Delta. Its per capita GRDP reached 94.37 million VND (around 3,720 USD). NA Chairman Man lauded the locality for its prominent outcomes in socio-economic development, national defence and security, and political system building, stressing that the provincial's Party oganisations and authorities at all levels, and people have significantly contributed to the nation's overall success. The top legislator urged Tra Vinh to strive for double-digit growth in 2025, lifting its GRDP growth to 12-13% this year, while working to complete the 2021–2025 socio-economic development plan. The locality must ramp up efforts to achieve its socio-economic targets for 2025, creating momentum for development in the 2026–2030 period, contributing to the national goal of becoming an upper middle-income country with a modern industrial base by 2030, and a developed, high-income country by 2045. Man asked all-level Party Committees and authorities in Tra Vinh to invest more in education and training, aiming to improve literacy and educational levels for local residents, particularly ethnic minority communities, and to pay more attention to public health. He also emphasised the need for Tra Vinh to pay heed to hunger eradication and poverty reduction as many households, particularly those of ethnic minority groups, in the locality and the Mekong Delta at large still struggle with poverty or remain near-poor. The NA Chairman required the locality to intensify efforts in combating corruption, wastefulness, and other negative phenomena; building a pure and strong political system; and improving the material and spiritual well-being of the people. Earlier the same day, the top legislator visited and handed over gifts to officers and soldiers of the My Long border station in Cau Ngang district. He hailed efforts by the station's officers and soldiers in fulfilling the strategic tasks of safeguarding the homeland, and building a pure and strong border guard force that stands ready to respond to any situation, including protecting the province's 12-km coastal line. Emphasising that Tra Vinh is home to many ethnic minority groups, the top legislator asked officers and soldiers to remain vigilant, guarding against hostile forces seeking to exploit, undermine, or distort the truth. He asked the force to strengthen coordination with local Party Committees, authorities, and mass organisations to stay closer to the people, to conduct regular patrols and monitoring, and to raise public awareness against illegal fishing./.