President Truong Tan Sang paid New Year visits to the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Education and the northern provinces of Hung Yen and Ha Nam on Jan. 17.

At his meeting with the Commission for Popularisation and Education, President Sang praised its efforts over the past year in thoroughly grasping Party Resolutions and directives and promptly implementing its tasks.

He said the commission needs to continue strengthening its apparatus at all levels, developing its contingent and improving professional skills and the quality of its operations, to meet the increasing demands of the modernisation process and international integration.

At Hung Yen Provincial Party Committee Headquarters, the President said he was delighted with provincial improvements in socio-cultural issues and health care. In particular, more attention was given to Party-building work and focus was placed on politics, ideology, organisation, quality of Party committees at grassroots levels, and development of Party members, he said.

Wishing the Party committee and people of Ha Nam province a happy new year, President Sang recommended the province uphold its longlasting tradition, to preserve and promote heritage values, contributing to efforts by the people nationwide in imbuing the Vietnamese culture with a national identity.

On the same day, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung visited the Vietnam Elders’ Association, wishing them a happy new year.

He spoke highly of the activities of the association at all levels in the past year, such as caring for 8.6 million elderly nationwide and encouraging the elderly to participate in many social movements.

He said he wishes that authorities at all levels and the entire society will become involved in drafting policies on caring for the elderly.

Nationwide, more than 1.4 million elderly people from 80 years of age receive a social allowance./.