Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Cuba reaffirmed the commitment to deepening their historic partnership during the eighth political consultation in Hanoi on July 24, co-chaired by Vietnam’s Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu and Cuba’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Gerardo Peñalver Portal during the latter’s official visit to Vietnam from July 22-25.
Vu briefed his Cuban guest on Vietnam’s recent socio-economic progress and outlined plans, affirming that the Vietnamese Party, State, and people always attach great importance to the traditional solidarity, special friendship, and comprehensive cooperation with Cuba.
He expressed optimism about Cuba’s ability to navigate its current challenges, successfully advance its socio-economic model update ahead of the ninth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba in April 2026.
Portal, in response, asserted Cuba’s consistent commitment to further deepening its special relationship with Vietnam, a bond founded by President Ho Chi Minh and leader Fidel Castro. He expressed heartfelt gratitude for the solidarity and sincere support that the Vietnamese Party, State, and people have extended to Cuba over the past years. He also updated the Vietnamese side on Cuba’s internal situation and ongoing efforts to update its socio-economic model amid difficulties.
Both sides reviewed the state of cooperation between their respective ministries, with a consensus on measures to further strengthen the special friendship and comprehensive partnership between the two countries. This includes close coordination to realise the outcomes of the state visit to Cuba by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in September 2024, particularly in key sectors such as food production, energy, and biotechnology. These aim to make trade and investment cooperation match their fine political ties.
They agreed to facilitate high-level visits and exchanges, and make full use of existing cooperation mechanisms, including the theoretical workshops between the two Parties, the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, and the political consultations between the foreign ministries. They committed to fostering greater exchanges among ministries, agencies, localities, and business communities, and jointly holding a series of events marking the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2025, designated as the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Year.
On global and regional issues of shared concern, they promised to maintain close consultation and support each other at multilateral forums of which both countries are members.
The consultation concluded with the signing of a 2026–2028 political consultation plan.
Earlier on July 23, Portal paid a courtesy call to Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, met with Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee on National Defence, Security and External Relations Nguyen Manh Tien, and Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Xuan Sang.
He also visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, laid a wreath at a memorial dedicated to Cuban national hero José Martí, and toured several economic establishments and cultural-historical sites in Hanoi./.
