Kien Giang: President Vo Van Thuong on January 20 visited and presented gifts to soldiers and people in Tho Chau island commune in Phu Quoc city of Kien Giang province – the most remote island commune in the southwest of the country – on the threshold of the Lunar New Year (Tet).

More than 200km away from the mainland, Tho Chau holds an important strategic position in defence, security and marine economic development, and currently houses nearly 2,000 people living mainly on farming and seafood exploitation and processing.

Visiting Regiment 152 of the Military Region 9, President Thuong appreciated the unit’s achievements in defence and security work with the support of people and forces of Kien Giang province and Tho Chau island commune.

He stressed that the unit’s top priority task is to safeguard national sovereignty over the airspace and waters of Tho Chau island as well as peace and happiness for local people, urging the soldiers to increase vigilance to avoid unexpected situations.

Visiting and pres
enting gifts to officers and soldiers of the Tho Chau Border Guard Station, the State leader lauded their contributions to protecting border sovereignty and national territory.

Presenting gifts to local residents, President Thuong requested the commune’s Party Committee and authorities to properly solve land and housing issues for people, ensure facilities to serve fishing at sea and storm shelter, and make more efforts to have no poor households in the locality.

Emphasising the unique geographical conditions of the island commune with large forest coverage, the President asked local authorities and people to pay greater attention to protecting and managing the ecological environment and resources.

On this occasion, he offered incense at Tho Chau Temple to commemorate martyrs who sacrificed for the country’s independence and freedom and more than 500 innocent people murdered by the Khmer Rouge in 1975.

On the same day, within the framework of his trip to Kien Giang, the State leader visited and presented
gifts to officers and soldiers of the border guard station at the Ha Tien International Border Gate, and local people.

Thuong emphasised the top task of officers and soldiers in cross-border immigration management and requested them to continue creating favourable conditions for exchange and trade activities between people and businesses of Vietnam and Cambodia./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency