NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (L) and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel at the meeting in Havana on April 20. (local time). (Photo: VNA) The two hosts welcomed the first official visit to Cuba byChairman Hue, who is also the first foreign leader to have visited theircountry after it successfully held the elections of deputies to the National Assembly of People’s Power for the 2023 -2028 tenure and elected the new State and Government leadership.
They described the trip as a contributor to the relationsbetween the two Parties, Governments, parliaments, and people, highly valuingtheir guest’s speech at the first special session of the 10th-tenureNA of People’s Power of Cuba.
Recalling his visit to Vietnam and meeting with President HoChi Minh in 1966 as well as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong’s Statevisit to Cuba in 2018, Gen. Raúl Castro affirmed that the Vietnamese people’sunyielding struggle is always a great source of support and Vietnam's socio-economic development is a model for Cuba.
He shared the view that both sides should continue enhancingtheir special friendship and solidarity, founded by leaders Ho Chi Minh and FidelCastro and passed down to following generations.
For his part, President Díaz-Canel thanked Vietnam forassisting Cuba to guarantee food security and also spoke highly of its projectson fisheries and hybrid maize cultivation in his country.
The Party and State of Cuba have always paid attention to andcreated optimal conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to do business and makeinvestment, he went on, noting that Vietnam is currently the second largesttrading partner and the biggest Asian-Pacific investor in Cuba.
NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and Cuban revolution leader Gen. Raúl Castro Ruz at the meeting. (Photo: VNA) They signed cooperation documents in various areas, includingparliamentary ties, construction, and agriculture, which will help develop theVietnam - Cuba traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation in a more practical and effective manner, he added.
Senior leaders of the two countries discussed measures to continue fostering comprehensive cooperation, including holding mutual visitsand meetings at all levels, tightening bilateral trade and investment links,and bringing into play existing cooperation mechanisms.
They underlined the importance of activities to be organisedin both countries to mark 50 years since Leader Fidel Castro visited the liberatedzone in Quang Tri (September 1973) and the 60th founding anniversaryof the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam (September 1963),considering these as occasions to honour the countries’ long-standingfriendship, all-round cooperation, and faithful solidarity.
Chairman Hue said the Party, State, and people of Vietnamalways keep a close watch on the situation of Cuba and wish to help alleviatethe difficulties facing the Latin American country.
Affirmingthe Vietnamese Party, State, and people’s consistent solidarity with andsupport for the just cause of Cuba, he emphasised that Vietnam will continue standing side by side with Cuba during the latter’s process of national development and fightagainst embargoes, and that it will continue giving food aid to the country.
The twosides also exchanged views on some international and regional issues of commonconcern. They agreed to maintain consultation, close coordination, and mutualsupport at international organisations and multilateral forums, of which bothcountries are members, especially at the United Nations and the Non-AlignedMovement.
On this occasion, the NA Chairman conveyed PartyGeneral Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s invitation to Gen. Raúl Castro, and FirstSecretary and President of Cuba Díaz-Canel to re-visit Vietnam whenpossible./.
VNA
