Statues to mark capital’s birthday

The Hanoi People’s Committee has carried out field research for the erection of statues of late president Ho Chi Minh and Ton Duc Thang in Thong Nhat Park.
The statues are a present from Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee to Hanoi on the occasion of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.
The statues, cast in copper, show Uncle Ho shaking Uncle Ton’s hand to congratulate him after his election as Vice President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1960.
The statues and their base have a height of more than 8m and will be erected in a tree-lined area on the park’s Thong Nhat Island by the end of the year.
Ho Chi Minh was the first President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam from 1945 to 1969. Ton Duc Thang was his successor and the second President of the country from 1969 to 1980.
Also on the occasion of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi, Hanoi authorities have decided to plant 1,000 ngan hanh trees (ginkgo biloba linne) in residential areas, parks and historical sites in the city.
Ngan hanh trees were grown in many countries, including Japan, China, Germany, Italy and the Republic of Korea. The species was well suited to the climate and soil in Vietnam, according to Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Ngo Thi Thanh Hang. The trees grow to a height of 1-1.5m and an average diameter of 2cm.
The Hanoi Department of Construction said it would begin planting the trees in March next year.