NA Chairman’s trip marks new milestone in relations with Latin American countries: officials

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue delivers speech at a special plenary session of the 10th NA of the People’s Power of Cuba. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s trip to Cuba, Argentina and Uruguay, from April 18-28, was a success as it opened up a new development period in relations between Vietnam and the three Latin American nations, said Bui Van Cuong, NA Secretary General and Chairman of the NA Office.

Sharing Cuong’s view, Vu Hai Ha, Chairman of the NA Committee for External Relations, highlighted the diverse and comprehensive contents of the meetings within the trip.

Lai Xuan Mon, deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, said the Cuban side spoke highly of the visit as well as NA Chairman Hue’s speech at a special plenary session of the 10th NA of the People’s Power of Cuba.

The speech served as a source of encouragement for Cuban officials, Party members and people to overcome challenges caused by the embargo to continue with the path towards socialism, he noted.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Thanh Tung said Cuban Party and State leaders offered special rituals to NA Chairman Hue and his entourage, and the two sides shared the view that the bilateral relationship has become an invaluable asset shared by the two nations.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue witnesses the signing a cooperation document between Vietnam and Argentina. (Photo: VNA)

Mai Thi Phuong Hoa, Vice Chairwoman of the NA Committee for Judicial Affairs, who is also President of the Vietnam-Argentina Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group and the Vietnam-Uruguay Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, said the Vietnam-Uruguay Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, established on April 14, 2023, made its debut on this occasion.

This is an important parliamentary activity as it helps parliamentarians exchange professional experience, while promoting parliamentary diplomacy, she continued.

Regarding the trip’s outcomes in economic cooperation, Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi, who co-chairs the Vietnam-Cuba Inter-Governmental Committee, said the committee will work harder to enhance trade ties between the two countries, thus raising the bilateral trade to 500 million USD in the near future.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai, who co-chairs the Vietnam-Argentina Inter-Governmental Committee, emphasised that the NA Chairman’s visit reiterated Vietnam’s commitment to working together with Argentina to advance the bilateral economic, trade and investment ties to a new height.

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (middle) and Gustavo Penadés, President of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and other delegates in a group photo. (Source: VNA)

For agriculture, the two sides continued looking into market opening for farm produce of each other, and cooperation potential in fishery, he said, adding that new collaboration fields were proposed during the visit like food safety, customs, science-technology, software, wood exploitation and processing, renewable energy, and innovation.

Following the trip, trade between Vietnam and Argentina and Uruguay, especially Vietnam’s exports to the markets, is expected to make progress, the official said.

Asked about cooperation prospects between Vietnam and the three countries, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc said “we can be optimistic about cooperative relations with Cuba, Argentina and Uruguay.”

The sides displayed their determination, efforts and actions to materialise cooperation potential and opportunities, he explained.

Cuban and Argentine ambassadors to Vietnam also shared the view that the trip will exert profound and long-term impacts on cooperation between the Southeast Asian nation and the Latin American region./.

VNA