President Vo Van Thuong (centre) gives Tet gifts to people in the southern province of Kien Giang. (Source: VNA)

The event was held by the Border Guard High Command and the People’s Committee of Kien Giang province ahead of of the Lunar New Year (Tet).

Speaking at the event, President Vo Van Thuong said that the Party and the State have had many guidelines and policies and worked to mobilise resources of the entire political system and society to take care of policy beneficiaries, people with meritorious services, and the poor, especially those in remote areas, border areas, and islands. In the common effort, the army in general and the border guard force in particular play an important role.

He hailed efforts of border guard officers and soldiers in completing their tasks of border management and protection and coordinating closely with local Party committees, authorities and people in border areas and islands to build a grassroots political system, saying that they have taken part in poverty reduction, illiteracy eradication, people's health care, natural disaster and disease prevention and control, and socio-economic development in border areas and islands.

At the event, the President presented Tet gifts to ten social policy households in the border area of Ha Tien city and scholarships and gifts to four Cambodian students. Leaders of the Ministry of National Defence and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee handed over Tet gifts to 20 poor households. On this occasion, leaders of ministries and agencies also gave gifts and scholarships to many students.

Previously, President Thuong and leaders of the Ministry of Defence and the Border Guard High Command also presented 30 breeding cows to poor households living in Ha Tien city and Giang Thanh district.