Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary and President NguyenPhu Trong had a meeting in Hanoi on December 21 with outstanding elderlyvillagers and village leaders from different ethnic minority groups across thecountry.
The meeting, part of a programme jointly held by the Communist Review,the Government Committee for Ethnic Affairs and the Border Guard High Commandfor the first time, aims to honour 163 delegates from 45 ethnic minority groupsin 35 cities and provinces nationwide. The oldest is 82 years old and theyoungest is 28.
Party leader and President Trong lauded the idea of organising the meeting,while expressing his delight at improved living conditions of the ethnicminority groups, attributing the changes to the strong solidarity of the 54groups of the country.
He described the elderly villagers and village leaders are the backboneof the villages, showing his hope that the ethnic groups will continuepromoting solidarity to complete all national construction and defence tasks.
The leader recognised contributions of the border guard force insafeguarding peace in the country’s border areas.
The delegates said that they are pleased at the great socio-economic andcultural achievements that the country has made.
They promised that they and the ethnic groups will continue joininghands together and support each other to overcome all difficulties.
They expressed their absolute belief in the leadership of the Party andState, pledging that they will keep close coordination with authorised forcesto firmly protect the country’s border and land markers, contributing tobuilding a borderline of friendship, cooperation and development.
According to Minister-Chairman of the Government Committee of EthnicAffairs Do Van Chien, Vietnam has 1,019 border communes in 235 districts of 44provinces neighbouring Laos, China, and Cambodia.-VNA
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