The freshly-concluded visit to Cuba by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is a success, marking a new development process in the relations between the two countries.

The comment was made by Hoang Binh Quan, Head of the Commission for External Affairs of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, after the Party chief returned to Hanoi on April 15.

Quan said the fact that the Party General Secretary chose Cuba as the first country outside the Southeast Asian region to visit after taking the position, reflects Vietnam’s special respect to the Latin American country and the wish to tighten the solidarity, mutual trust and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba.

The visit also manifests the support of the Party, State and people of Vietnam for the just struggle and the socialist construction process of Cuban people as well as Vietnamese people’s solidarity with progressive forces in Latin American countries in their struggle for independence, sovereignty, social advances and equality.

According to the official, the Cuban side spoke highly of the goal, the significance and the results of Trong’s visit. In particular, General Secretary Trong’s speech at the Nico Lopez Communist Party School drew special interest and praise from Cuban leaders because of its practical meaning to Cuba, Quan added.

At the end of the visit, the two sides issued a joint statement that reviews achievements in the relations and maps out orientations as well as measures for future cooperation.

On prospects for bilateral relations, Quan said the implementation of the joint statement as well as results of working sessions between the two sides during the visit is expected to deepen the cooperative ties in a comprehensive and sustainable manner.-VNA