Government News 4/2 Leaders pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh on CPV founding anniversary   Leaders pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh on CPV founding anniversary A delegation of national leaders on February 3 paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum and laid wreaths at the Heroic Martyrs’ Monument in Hanoi on the occasion of the 88th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). The delegation included Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, former Party General Secretaries Le Kha Phieu and Nong Duc Manh, President Tran Dai Quang, former President Tran Duc Luong, former National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man, among others. The leaders showed respect and gratitude towards President Ho Chi Minh, the founder and leader of the CPV, a vanguard organisation of the working class and the nation, and a decisive factor for all victories of Vietnam’s revolution. Currently, the whole Party, people and army are implementing the Politburo’s directive on strengthening the studying and following of the thought, morality and style of President Ho Chi Minh in combination with the Party Central Committee’s resolution on Party building. At the Heroic Martyrs’ Monument, the delegation recalled the devotion of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the national independence and reunification. The same day, representatives from the Central Military Commission, Defence Ministry, Public Security Ministry, the Party Committee and People’s Committee of Hanoi, and the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Organisation also paid tribute to the martyrs at the Heroic Martyrs’ Monument. Leaders pay Tet visits to former Party chief Do Muoi     General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong visited former Party General Secretary Do Muoi at his home on February 2 on the occasion of the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) and the 88th founding anniversary of the CPV (February 3). Meeting the former Party chief, who turns 101 on the day, Trong wished him good health and longevity, and informed him of the country’s situation as well as the works the Party and State are doing to develop the country. Former Party General Secretary Do Muoi expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Party, State and people will continue upholding the spirit of solidarity and work to build a stronger and more transparent Party, for the interests of the nation and people. Also on the day, President Tran Dai Quang paid a Tet visit to the former Party leader. He said he hopes that former Party General Secretary Do Muoi would give more valuable suggestions to build a strong and transparent Party and foster the nation’s rapid and sustainable development. Do Muoi, born on February 2, 1917, in Dong My commune in Hanoi’s Thanh Tri district. He assumed the position as the Party leader from June 1991 to December 1997. NA Chairwoman presents Tet gifts to poor families in Long An    Chairwoman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (second from right) visited and presented gifts to policy beneficiaries, disadvantaged children and poor people in the Mekong Delta province of Long An on February 3  Chairwoman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on February 3 visited and presented gifts to policy beneficiaries, disadvantaged children and poor people in the Mekong Delta province of Long An ahead of the 2018 Lunar New Year (Tet). Ngan affirmed that the Party and State always remember the great sacrifice of war invalids, martyrs’ families and those who rendered service to the nation as well as pay attention to the material and spiritual lives of people. The NA Chairwoman praised Long An for its comprehensive achievements in the previous year, saying they reflected the solidarity and efforts of local authorities and people. She also called on local authorities at all levels and people to continue taking care of policy beneficiaries, poor households and people who made contributions to the nation. Congratulations to re-elected Finnish President    Re-elected Finnish President Sauli Niinisto President Tran Dai Quang on February 2 cabled a message of congratulations to Sauli Niinisto on his re-election as President of Finland for the second consecutive term. Vietnam and Finland set up diplomatic relations on January 25, 1973. Vietnam is among Finland’s major partners in Asia and a bridge connecting Finland with other ASEAN members. The two countries have launched various exchange programmes and training cooperation, and about 2,500 Vietnamese students are currently studying in Finland, said Finnish Ambassador to Vietnam Kari Kahiluoto. Finnish firms are paying heed to Vietnam’s market, especially in clean energy, environment, waste treatment, smart urban areas, information management and health care. In addition, he stressed that Finland will promote the implementation of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation between Vietnam and the European Union (EU) and accelerate the signing and ratification of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement, aiming to open new prospects in bilateral trade-investment cooperation. VNN