Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hailed the significance of tree planting to the nation when attending a ceremony to launch a tree planting festival in Bac Hong commune, Hanoi’s Dong Anh district, on February 18.
Tree planting festival launched in Bac Hong commune, Hanoi’s Dong Anh district (Source: VNA)
Stressing the policy of “not exchanging the environment for economic development,” PM Phuc affirmed that the Government and localities nationwide are stepping up afforestation as well as forest development and protection, with a target of raising forest coverage to at least 42 percent by 2020.
Applauding important results gained by the capital city, especially after three years of implementing the programme to plant one million trees, he asked the city to attract all resources to invest in afforestation, and reform technology in afforestation, forest management and preservation of biodiversity.
Municipal authorities were also requested to intensify communications on the purpose and significance of tree planting to people from all walks of life.
Hanoi set a goal of growing 400,000 trees this year, and additional 600,000 ones in 2020. Dong Anh district alone strives to plant 25,000 trees in 2019.
On November 28, 1959, President Ho Chi Minh wrote an article which was published on Nhan dan (People) newspaper, stressing the significance of tree planting to each person, each family and the entire nation. It has since become an annual Vietnamese custom each Lunar New Year.-VNA