Socio-economic development strengthened in harmony with natural environment towards people’s comfort and happiness

On February 6, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the launch ceremony of the 2022 spring tree-planting festival which was held by the northern province of Phu Tho in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at the Hung Kings Temple relic site in the locality. Nhan Dan Newspaper respectfully introduces the full text of the President's remarks.

Distinguished delegates,
Compatriots and comrades!

Today, at the Hung Kings Temple relic site, we hold the launch ceremony of the 2022 Tet tree-planting festival, themed “Forever grateful to Uncle Ho”, with a sacred feeling because this land is the origin of Vietnamese people. We recall President Ho Chi Minh's famous verse at the first Tet tree-planting festival in 1959:

Spring is the time for planting trees,
Making the country all the more dazzling in eternal springtime

Uncle Ho plants trees at Thong Nhat Park in Hanoi on January 11, 1960

Uncle Ho plants trees at Thong Nhat Park in Hanoi on January 11, 1960

President Ho Chi Minh’s teaching has become a great call to boost the spread of the Tet tree-planting movement nationwide over the past decades.

On behalf of the Party, State, Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee leaders, I would like to cordially send my warm regards, intimate sentiments and best New Year greetings to all the compatriots and soldiers throughout the country; Phu Tho’s provincial Party committee, authorities, people, and localities; and the people and students who are present here.

Compatriots and comrades!

On September 19, 1954, in this sacred land (specifically at Gieng Temple), Uncle told the soldiers of the Pioneering Division who were preparing to take command of the capital Hanoi that “The Hung Kings founded the nation; we now have to defend the nation together.”

Defending the nation is not only limited to protecting the motherland’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, independence and freedom, but also includes protecting the country’s beautiful nature and keeping a healthy environment. Therefore, despite being busy with a great deal of work, Uncle Ho always paid attention to planting trees and forests, embellishing the landscape and creating healthy living conditions, helping to enhance the people’s material and spiritual lives.

Humankind is facing significant challenges of climate changes, with extreme weather events, typhoons, floods, landslides, drought and saltwater intrusion causing enormous losses of life and property. Planting and protecting forests are both an urgent and strategic task to protect the people’s lives and the country's sustainable development.

Uncle Ho tells soldiers that “The Hung Kings founded the nation; we now have to defend the nation together

Over the past several decades, the Party and State have always directed the implementation of many forest planting and recovery programmes, promoting the protection of the ecological environment, creating the sources of wood from planted forests for the wood processing industry. Vietnam exported nearly 30 billion USD worth of timber products from planted forest wood in 2020 and 2021.

The Prime Minister’s Directive 45 dated December 31, 2020, called for the organisation of the tree planting festival and enhancing the protection of forests so as to implement the programme to plant one billion trees for “a green Vietnam”.

On April 1, 2021, the Prime Minister approved the Project 524, targeting to plant one billion trees nationwide by the end of 2025. Of the figure, 690 million trees will be planted in urban and rural areas and 310 million in protected, special and production forests.

I am rejoicing at the project’s implementation in 2021, when 210 million trees were planted across the country, reaching 115 percent of the yearly target. Several localities have gained encouraging results in implementing the project in 2021, including Nghe An (7.3 million trees); Thanh Hoa (5.3 million trees); Lam Dong (4 million trees); Ha Tinh (3.3 million trees); Quang Nam (3 million trees); Ca Mau (3 million trees); and Cao Bang (3 million trees). Many other localities succeeded in planting more than 2 million trees such as Ha Giang, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Quang Ngai, Ba Ria Vung Tau, An Giang, Hau Giang, Tuyen Quang, Hoa Binh, Son La, and Vinh Phuc. In Phu Tho Province in particular, around 1.5 million trees were grown last year.

During the deployment of the project, many models and initiatives have been developed, including the fundraising event of teachers and students at Marie Curie School in Hanoi to raise money for growing 200,000 green trees in Meo Vac District, Ha Giang Province.

Another initiative is the project to restore the upstream forest of Gianh River, which was launched by the Vietnam Afforestation and Reforestation Society Co., Ltd (VARS). VARS has mobilised social resources to grow 80 hectares of forest in the upstream forest of Gianh River, and targets to plant at least 100 hectares of forests this year.

The ‘One million tree - For a green Vietnam’ programme has also received enthusiastic participation from businesses. Accordingly, Novaland Group has committed to grow 50 million trees in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam launched a project to grow 30 million trees, the Vietnam Electricity (EVN) pledged to plant 1 million trees, and the Deo Nai Coal JSC under the Vietnam National Coal – Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited announced plans to grow 1.2 million trees by 2025.

I commend the localities, organisations, businesses and individuals for having actively responded to the Prime Minister's programme on planting one billion trees. And it is proposed to timely reward typical organisations and individuals in the implementation of the ‘For a green Vietnam’ programme.

Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong plants a tree at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel relic site in Hanoi in 2021. (Photo: VNA)

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc launches the tree planting festival in Phu Tho Province on February 6, 2022. (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attends the tree planting festival in response to the one-billion tree planting programme entitled ‘For a green Vietnam’ in Tuyen Quang Province in February 2021. (Photo: VGP)

According to the proposed plan, Vietnam will plant an average of 204.5 million trees per year in the 2022-2025 period, including 142.5 million scattered trees, an increase of 1.8 times compared to 2020. This is a heavy task, and we must be very determined if we wish to achieve it. If we do not form a widespread movement with supervision, the implementation of the set policies may be neglected

It should be noted that the current quality of Vietnam's natural forests is still low. Many protected forest areas have not yet fully promoted their functions while ratio of trees to urban residents and many rural areas remains low compared to national standards and lower than many countries around the world. Therefore, tree planting and afforestation are very important.

That's why I call on all my compatriots, comrades, the armed forces, agencies, pagodas, churches, holy places, individuals and also children across the country to enthusiastically participate in tree planting and afforestation right from the first days of spring.

Youth union members respond to the programme "For a green Vietnam". Photo: VGP

Lai Chau hydropower plant workers participate in responding to the tree planting festival. Photo: VGP

Police force responds to the tree planting festival. Photo: VGP

The Ministry of Defence responded to the programme "For a green Vietnam". Photo: VGP

It is necessary to strict implementation of Directive No. 13-CT/TW dated January 12, 2017, of the Central Party Secretariat on strengthening the Party’s leadership in forest management, protection and development.

- All levels and branches should continue to promote propaganda about the programme "For a green Vietnam"; develop specific and practical action plans, including launching an emulation movement for everyone to plant trees and every house to plant trees, to green the roads and green the houses; protection, afforestation in watershed, border, coastal, island areas, concern, care and preservation for good growth of trees, as Uncle Ho said, "We must protect the forest like we protect our own home".

It is necessary to encourage creative forms and ways of doing things among all classes of people. In which, it is necessary to focus is on further promoting the application of technology in plant breeding, tree planting and afforestation; to associate afforestation and forest protection with development of forest environment services and eco-tourism and biodiversity conservation; preserve traditional cultural identity.

It is necessary to actively strive for more than 80% of raw wood materials for export processing, make Vietnam a leading centre in the world for the production and export of timber and products from planted forests. People's lives today are much better because we plant forests, even in remote mountainous provinces such as Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Hoa Binh, and Bac Kan.

- It is necessary to continue to implement the policy of closing natural forests and not using illegal timber, preventing deforestation, forest burning, illegal exploitation of forests, encroached forests and improper use, handling strictly for violations.

The agricultural sector and localities need to have specific guidance plans, and well organise the guidance on the supply of varieties of plants suitable for each region. Phu Tho Province alone should plant at least 2 million trees in 2022 as planned because there is still a lot of potential in land. Meanwhile, provinces and cities across the country also need to review their plans for better and faster implementation.

Compatriots and Comrades!

Spring brings warm weather, allows trees to flourish, and gives us renewed hope. With faith in the leadership of the Party, I believe that the Party Committee, government and people of Phu Tho and localities in the Northwest and Northeast regions of the country will continue to promote the fine traditions, strive to develop further, contributing to realising the development aspiration and goals, bringing wealthy and happiness to all people. In that great cause, socio-economic development in harmony with nature and environment is the way for people to have true prosperity, happiness and peace. Each person, each family, each agency and organisation should make specific and practical contributions to the implementation of the Programme on planting one billion trees in the 2021-2025 period - for a green and sustainable Vietnam.

Once again, on the occasion of the New Spring, I would like to extend my strong affection and best greetings to all compatriots, comrades, and soldiers. I sincerely wish the Party Committee, government and people of all ethnic groups in Phu Tho Province a new year of happiness, prosperity, and many new victories.

Thank you very much!

A project with a high percentage of trees, creating a safe and healthy living environment.

Design: DIEU THU
Photo: VNA, VGP, File photo

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