The friendship and cooperation between the Communist Parties of Vietnam and Cuba have made strong progress through many visits of high-ranking leaders of both sides, according to senior officials of the two parties.

The assessment was made during the September 5 talks between Politburo member and standing member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Secretariat Le Hong Anh and Second Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC) Jose Ramon Machado.

Le Hong Anh is leading a high-ranking CPV delegation on an official visit to Cuba.

The two sides discussed measures to further their economic, trade and investment cooperation, while continuing their coordination and mutual support at international forums.

The Vietnamese party official took the occasion to brief his host on the socio-economic situation in Vietnam during recent years. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and Government will take breakthrough steps to turn Vietnam into an industrialised country by 2020.

Anh also updated the Cuban side on the activities of the CPV , the East Sea issue and the stance of the Vietnamese Party and Government on settling disputes through peaceful measures on the basis of respecting international law, as well as Vietnam’s policy in the negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

For his part, Ramon Machado informed the guest on the implementation of policy on updating the socio-economic model adopted by the 6th National CPC Congress in April 2011.

He also sketched in the Latin American situation and the achievements of left-wing movements in the region.

The same day, Anh had a working session with Politburo member and Vice President of the Cuba ’s Council of Ministers Marino Murillo Jorge.

As the head of the steering committee for the updating of socio-economic model, Marino Murillo Jorge mentioned the results, advantages and challenges that Cuba faces in the work.

He affirmed that the Cuban Party and Government and people are determined to reform its economic development model to build a prosperous and sustainable socialist society, adding that Vietnam ’s renewal experience is very useful for Cuba in the current context.

The Vietnamese official suggested that the two sides organise more meetings and exchanges to continue studying each other’s reform experiences.

Both host and guest agreed on the need to create new cooperation mechanisms and methods in order to promote the efficiency of bilateral economic ties.

Earlier, the Vietnamese delegation laid wreaths at the Monument dedicated to Cuban national hero Jose Marti and President Ho Chi Minh Monument in Havana.-VNA