The Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba recently held a banquet for Cubans who stood alongside the Vietnamese people in the cause of national defence and construction.

The event came on the occasion of celebrating 40 years of liberation of South Vietnam and the 125th birthday anniversary of late President Ho Chi Minh.

Among the nearly 200 guests attending the event are politburo member and Vice Chairman of the Cuba Council of State Salvador Valdes Mesa and leaders from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and Commission of External Affairs under the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee.

Speaking at the function, Vietnamese Ambassador Duong Minh highlighted Cuba’s support to Vietnam since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1960.

During Vietnam’s revolution, Cuban engineers and workers travelled to Vietnam to build important projects such as the Thang Loi hotel, Dong Hoi hospital and Ho Chi Minh road.

Cuban ships braved US bombing to anchor at Hai Phong port, bringing relief goods to the Vietnamese people. Cuban leader Fidel Castro was the first and only foreign head of State to visit a liberated area in the central province of Quang Tri at the fiercest moments of the war.

The Vietnamese diplomat affirmed the two Parties and States are nurturing their bilateral friendship and solidarity.

He said the Vietnamese Party, State and people support and stand with Cuba in its economic development and building of socialist regime.

In an interview granted to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent, former Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Jesus Aise Sotolongo expressed his admiration for President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap, describing the April 30 victory as a significant historical event for Vietnam and the world.-VNA