Cao Bang (VNA) – Prime MinisterPham Minh Chinh on January 16 visited and presented gifts to local armedforces, policy beneficiary families, revolutionary beneficiaries and the needy in the northern province ofCao Bang on the threshold of the Lunar New Year (Tet), the most important and longest festival of Vietnamese people in a year.

In Quang Hoa district, PM Chinh presented200 sets of Tet gifts to policy beneficiary families, people who renderedservices to the nation, poor households as well as needy members of tradeunions.

Briefing local residents on the achievementsthat the country made in 2022, PM Chinh hailed contributions by Cao Bang inthis overall success.

He asked local authorities to better carefor locals, especially the needy during Tet, ensuring a warm festival for allwithout leaving anyone behind.

The PM reminded local authorities andresidents to ensure safety during the festival, while continuing to implementtheir tasks in security-defence and economic development, building a sharedborder of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

He also extended New Year greetings to theParty Organisation, administration and residents of Quang Hoa district.

Visiting officers and soldiers of border guard post of Ta Lung border gate in Ta Lung town of Quang Hoa district, aswell as local children sponsored by the border guard post, PM Chinh said heunderstood difficulties and tough tasks that officers and soldiers of theborder guard post is burdening and recognised their efforts in completing theirmissions.

The Government leader underlined thesignificance of ensuring border stability and protecting national sovereignty andterritory, asking the border guard force to work harder to ensure aborderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, building a firm defencezone and providing the best conditions for economic collaboration activities.

He asked the Ta Lung border guard post tocoordinate with local authorities to review the list of needy people to ensure that noone suffered from hunger and cold, and everyone enjoys a warm festival.

Earlier, on January 15, PM Chinh visited LamThi Men, a Heroic Vietnamese Mother in Quy Thuan commune, Quang Hoa district,during which he wished the mother of two martyrs good health andhappiness in the New Year.

The Government leader affirmed that theParty, State and people always remember the contributions and sacrifice bypolicy beneficiary families and are working hard to give the best care for them.

As part of his ongoing trip to Cao Bang, onJanuary 16, PM Chinh inspected a number of areas and socio-economic infrastructureprojects in the locality, including Ta Lung border gate area, border markerNo.943 and Ta Lung 2 bridge in Ta Lung town.

The PM said that Cao Bang should takeborder economic zones as the new development momentum of the province, thusoptimising their efficiency. The province should focus on building transportinfrastructure system connecting with the zones, including a highway linking Bac Kan, Lang Son and Quang Ninh provinces.

The PM also inspected Dong Dang-Tra Linhexpressway connecting Cao Bang and Lang Son provinces. The 121-km expressway has about63km running through Cao Bang, which is invested in the public-private partnershipform. Once completed, it will connect Tra Linh border gate of Cao Bang, TanThanh and Coc Nam border gates in Lang Son province with Hanoi and the Red River Deltaregion, helping promote socio-economic growth of the localities it crosses./.