National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong on Feb. 17 visited the Hanoi suburban district of Soc Son and launched a tree-planting drive on the Lunar New Year occasion.

The chief legislator said the best wishes for the district’s greater achievements in New Year over the previous year which was marked with economic growth of over 21 percent and desirable domination of industries (82 percent) in the local economy.

The district Party Secretary, Nguyen Van Phong, said as a poor district of the capital city, Soc Son has received special assistance from the municipal administration.

As planned, Soc Son will be upgraded into one of five Hanoi ’s satellite metropolises with a number of key traffic projects to be carried out and sites of cultural and spiritual interests to be tapped for tourism development.

Trong continued his visit with a call on the Vietnam Buddhism Institute at Phu Linh village, Soc Son district.

The Institute Director, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu, said the institute has so far trained over 300 monks and nuns, emerging as the leader of the four Buddhism institutes nationwide.

The senior Buddhist cleric, who is also Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee’s Executive Council, unveiled the institute’s plan to train post-graduates and foreign students.

Trong, later on, planted a tree in the institute’s compound and launched an afforestation movement among people of all classes.

He also visited and lit incense sticks at the Soc Temple and Non Nuoc Pagoda and called on at the site where a statue of Saint Phu Dong-Thien Vuong is being cast in celebrations of the Hanoi millennium in October./.