NDO/VNA – President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on February 6 launched a tree planting festival at the Hung Kings Temple relic site in the northern province of Phu Tho on the occasion of the Lunar New Year Festival (Tet).

In his speech, President Phuc said forest planting and protection play an increasingly important role. It is an urgent task of strategic significance to people’s lives and sustainable national development.

He asked for seriously following Directive No.13-CT/TW of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat on strengthening the Party leadership on forest management, protection and development and forestry laws. Departments and agencies were urged to launch tree planting emulation campaigns, especially the planting of protective forests in border, coastal and island areas.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc plants a tree at the relic site (Photo: VNA)

The President called for further attention to using advanced technology in the effort, developing forest environment services and ecological tourism, preserving biodiversity to stay self-sufficient with over 80 percent of raw wood materials being used for export, thus turning Vietnam into a hub for timber production and export.

According to him, Vietnam will plant 204.5 million trees each year on average from 2022-2025. He also took the occasion to urge the entire people to contribute to the 1 billion tree growing programme during 2021-2025.

The leader also asked Phu Tho to plant at least 2 million green trees as scheduled this year.

Following the launch ceremony, President Phuc, together with leaders of several ministries, agencies and localities and people, planted trees at the relic site.