On February 17, Chairman Trong paid a visit to the Vietnam Buddhism Academy - one of the country’s four biggest Buddhism academies located in Hanoi’s outlying district of Soc Son, which currently has about 300 trainees and is planning more training programmes in the near future.

Mr Trong spoke highly of the SBV Central Committee’s contributions to national development, noting that “life and religion” are always closely linked. On the occasion, the NA leader burned incense at Soc Son Temple, joined a tree-planting ceremony, and previewed a statue of Thanh Giong - a national hero riding an iron horse, which is scheduled to be unveiled on May 19.

During his meeting with local key leaders, Mr Trong praised the district’s socio-economic achievements last year and called on Soc Son to uphold its heroic tradition and use its geographical advantages to rev up the local economy.

Before he left Soc Son, Mr Trong extended his best Tet wishes for happiness, prosperity and good health to all officials and people in district.