Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said the Parties of Vietnam and Cuba should exert all-out efforts to foster the long-standing and model fraternity between the two countries amidst the complicated developments in the international situation. 

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) and Chairman of the Cuban National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernandez 

At a reception for Chairman of the Cuban National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernandez in Hanoi on June 13, the Party leader pledged that the Vietnamese Party, State and people will always stand side by side with Cuba during the struggle for the goals and noble ideals of socialism. 

Vietnam will accompany Cuba in updating its socio-economic development model and is willing to share the country’s experience in the 30-year reform process, he said. 

The Party chief said he believes that the Cuban NA Chairman’s visit will contribute to enhancing the model fraternity, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and solidarity between the two Parties, States, legislatures and people.

For his part, the Cuban NA Chairman congratulated Vietnam on the marked achievements the country has recorded over the past 30 years of reform, describing them as valuable experience for Cuba while updating its socio-economic development model. 

Informing his host about outcomes of his talks and meetings with Vietnamese State, Government and NA leaders, Esteban Lazo Hernandez affirmed his determination to deepen the relations between the two Parties, legislative bodies and people. 

The Cuban top legislator is on an official visit to Vietnam from June 11-18 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

Vietnam-Cuba friendship meeting held in Hanoi

Chairman of the Cuban National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernandez addresses the meeting

A Vietnam-Cuba friendship meeting was held in Hanoi on June 13 as part of the ongoing eight-day visit of a high-ranking delegation from the Cuban National Assembly led by Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernandez.

Addressing the event, President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association (VCFA) Truong Thi Mai recalled that Cuba received and trained more than 1,000 Vietnamese students who then became key officials of Vietnam in over one decade before Vietnam’s resistance war against the US gained victory. 

She expressed her belief that despite the long geographical distance, Vietnamese and Cuban people will always stand side by side, reaffirming that that the motto “solidarity with Cuba is the order of the heart” will always be the guideline for the country’s relations with Cuba.

Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations (VUFO) Don Tuan Phong said that in the future, the VUFO and the VCFA will continue organize diverse activities to reinforce and boost the Vietnam-Cuba friendship and educate younger generations on the ties.

On behalf of Cuba alumni from Vietnam, General Director of the Vietnam News Agency Nguyen Duc Loi recalled the time he spent in Cuba, stressing that Vietnamese students who studied in Cuba will always remember the warm sentiments they received from Cuban people.

A Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Sub-Association has been set and operated effectively in the Vietnam News Agency, he noted, voicing his hope that the solidarity and partnership between Vietnam and Cuba will continue to thrive.

Chairman of the Cuban National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernandez stated that in the new situation, the solidarity and cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba will continue to be reinforced and bolstered.

He reiterated the famous saying of late Cuban leader Fidel Castro: “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed blood,” while highlighting that from whole-hearted sentiments in tough time in the past, the Parties, States and people of the two countries must foster their solidarity, fighting for justice.

Earlier, VCFA President Truong Thi Mai, who is also a member of the Politburo and head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation also held a meeting with Chairman of the Cuban National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernandez.

Mai said that the VCFA has 25 chapters across the country and it has regularly held activities to bolster people-to-people connections between the two peoples, contributing to strengthening the friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the two Parties, States and people.

Mai also vowed to work hard to contribute to developing the bilateral ties in the future.

The Cuban top legislator highly valued the special attention of the Party, State and Government of Vietnam to the enhancement of the bilateral ties.

He said that in the coming time, the two friendship associations of Vietnam and Cuba should increase activities to bolster solidarity and cooperation, especially among young people.

VNA