Vietnam and Cuba discussed ways to make their special ties more practical and effective with the focus on promising sectors such as economics, trade, investment, construction, agriculture, aquaculture and green energy.

The talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla in Havana on March 29

It was among key points Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Cuban FM Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla exchanged during their talks in Havana on March 29 on the sidelines of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong’s State visit to Cuba from March 28-31.

Minh highly spoke of the close Vietnam-Cuba relations which have been strengthened through regular exchanges of visit at all levels in multiple fields.

The bilateral ties in economics and trade have grown steadily, he said, noting that the two-way trade mounted to 240 million USD in 2017 and the two sides have maintained effective bilateral cooperation mechanisms with close links at international organisations and multilateral forums.

Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, for his part, said he wants both sides to continue close coordination to boost their bilateral and multilateral relations in the time ahead. 

He expressed his support for the fifth political consultation between the two foreign ministries to take place this year and vowed to closely work with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to organize celebrations of the 45th anniversary of Cuban Leader Fidel Castro’s historic visit to a newly-liberated area in Quang Tri in 1973.

The two sides said they are ready to work together in the implementation of agreements reached during this visit. They later exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and agreed on the importance to settle territorial disputes via peaceful means, without use of force or threat to use force, with respect for diplomatic and legal processes, in line with international laws and related UN conventions.

Minh invited his host to make an official visit to Vietnam, which was accepted by Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla.

Youths urged to write new chapters of Vietnam-Cuba ties

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at the meeting.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong has expressed his hope that young people of Vietnam and Cuba will treasure and write new chapters of the countries’ solidarity, friendship and cooperation.

Speaking at a meeting with Vietnamese and Cuban youths in Havana, Cuba, on March 29 afternoon (local time), the Party leader said the special relationship is rare in the world’s contemporary history. 

The relationship had been fostered by former leaders of both countries like Jose Marti, Fidel Castro and Ho Chi Minh, and cultivated by generations of Vietnamese and Cuban leaders, he said. 

Despite the geographical distance, Vietnam and Cuba share a lot of similarities, Party General Secretary Trong said, noting that the fraternal friendship was formed and developed thanks to historical similarities of the two countries. 

Over the past nearly 60 years since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties (December 2, 1960), Vietnam and Cuba have stood side by side during the past struggle for national liberation and freedom, as well as the present national construction and defence, the leader said. 

He described their friendship and fraternity as a symbol of era and a valuable asset shared by the Parties and people of the two countries. 

He recalled Cuban revolutionary Leader Fidel Castro Ruz’s immortal sayings such as “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its blood,” as well as President Ho Chi Minh’s affirmation of close-knit relations between Vietnam and Cuba as siblings despite their geographical distance. 

Expressing his delight at the unceasingly reinforced friendship and solidarity between the two countries’ young people, he asked the youth organisations and young people of Vietnam and Cuba should push ahead with practical cooperation activities to share experience and support each other to contribute to their countries’ development.

He voiced his belief that with their creativity, enthusiasm and strong will, young Vietnamese and Cubans will inherit the glorious traditions from the previous generations to devote themselves to bilateral relations.

Echoing the CPV leader’s view, Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, Politburo member and First Vice President of the Cuban Councils of State and Ministers, said youth training is important to educating the young on the two nations’ distinguished history, thus inspiring their sense of responsibility in protecting the everlasting values of independence and freedom that the previous generations sacrificed their lives to gain.

He voiced his belief that the countries’ solidarity, friendship and cooperation will be maintained as a precious asset of the two nations by current and future generations.

At the event, in the presence of the two countries’ leaders, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Young Communist League of Cuba signed a cooperation agreement to boost youth exchange and cooperation activities.

On this occasion, Politburo member and Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tong Thi Phong and Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez presented the Friendship Order, a noble award of the State of Vietnam, to five Cuban war veterans who came to Vietnam to assist the struggle for national liberation and reunification.

Party chief urges Vietnam, Cuba to bolster economic cooperation

General Secretary of the ​CPV Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong (L) and President of Cuba’s National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernandes 

Speeding up economic, trade and investment cooperation is significant to the Vietnam-Cuba bilateral ties, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong has said.

He laid the stress while meeting with President of Cuba’s National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernandes in Cuba on March 29, in which he recommended both sides adopt rational mechanisms and solutions to fully tap their potential, support each other, and improve the efficiency of business projects to serve the development of each side in the future.

Vietnam will stand by Cuba in the nation’s struggle for socialist ideology and the update of its socio-economic development model, the Vietnamese Party chief said, adding that Vietnam is willing to share its experience in 30 years of Doi moi (Renewal) with the Latin American nation.

On the occasion, he congratulated Cuba on its successful organisation of the 9th Congress of the National Assembly, expressing his belief that the Cuban people will reap further achievements in their new development phase.

Esteban Lazo Hernandes, for his part, underlined the special Vietnam-Cuba ties and spoke highly of Vietnam’s experience in the Doi moi process, affirming that Cuba always treasures and wants to bolster ties with Vietnam.

Both sides expressed their delights over the fruitful relations between the two National Assemblies and their contributions to promoting the traditional friendship between the two Parties and States.

They agreed to create favourable conditions for the two legislative bodies to foster delegation exchanges to share experience in legislative activities and the organisation of legislative apparatus.

Also, they reached consensus on facilitating works of the friendship parliamentary group so that they can take a leading role in developing cooperative ties between the two law-making bodies in the future.

Party General Secretary Trong is on a four-day State visit to Cuba at the invitation of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba’s Central Committee and President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers Raul Castro Ruz.

This is the first high-level meeting between the two countries after the passing of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro Ruz in 2016, and also the Vietnamese Party chief’s first visit to the Latin-America following the 12th National Congress of the CPV the same year.

Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong visits Vo Thi Thang school in Cuba

Pupils of the Vo Thi Thang Primary School welcome Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and a high-ranking delegation visited Vo Thi Thang primary school in Havana, Cuba, on March 29 (local time).

Founded in 1968, the school dedicated a space exhibiting many objects and materials featuring Vietnam, especially a photo of Vo Thi Thang who wore a “victory smile” in a court of the US-backed Saigon administration. The “victory smile” became part of the school’s curriculum as a symbol of Vietnamese people’s struggle against the invasion of US imperialists.

Greeting teachers and students there, the Party chief stressed that despite located apart thousands miles, Vietnam and Cuba have established a close-knit ties and fraternal solidarity, which have been fostered by late President Ho Chi Minh, Leader Fidel Castro and generations of Party and State leaders.

The school named after Vietnamese hero Vo Thi Thang is an example of the special friendship, Trong added.

He said he expects the establishment to enhance its teaching quality and educate the next generation into good citizens, inheriting their predecessors’ legacy and continuing fostering Vietnam – Cuba relations.

Cuban Minister of Education Ena Elsa Velázquez said the school is honoured to bear the name of a brave Vietnamese, who began fighting invaders in her twenty.

She highlighted education as a pillar of the Cuban revolution in line with the ideology of Fidel Castrol. 

On behalf of students and teachers at the school, Ena Elsa Velázquez thanked support from Vietnam toward Cuba in all circumstances and affirmed that Cubans will continue protecting the friendship and solidarity with Vietnam.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese Party leader inaugurated an IT classroom, which was his gift to the school. The room was equipped with 30 computer sets.

Party General Secretary Trong is on a four-day State visit to Cuba at the invitation of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba’s Central Committee and President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers Raul Castro Ruz.

This is the first high-level meeting between the two countries after the passing of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro Ruz in 2016, and also the Vietnamese Party chief’s first visit to the Latin-America following the 12th National Congress of the CPV the same year.

VNA