The visit is made at the invitation of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) Central Committee and President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba General Raul Castro Ruz, the joint statement said. 

During his stay in Cuba, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong held talks with First Secretary of the PCC Central Committee and President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba General Raul Castro Ruz. He met with Second Secretary of the PCC Central Committee Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, Politburo member and President of the Cuban National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernandez, and Politburo member and First Vice President of the Cuban Council of State and the Council of Ministers Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez. 

Vietnamese and Cuban leaders shared their views that the special friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Cuba is a symbol of era and an invaluable asset of the Parties and people of the two countries. 

They affirmed their resolve to carry forward the bilateral friendship which was fostered by President Ho Chi Minh and Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro.

The leaders agreed on the need to expand and deepen the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, thus actively contributing to their national construction and defence, and to maintaining peace, stability, and development in the region and the world. 

During the talks, they expressed their joy at the flourishing bilateral relations between the two nations, and affirmed their determination to turn the special relations into a new development period, on the basis of political trust. 

They stressed that the two sides should work closely to improve the efficiency of bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation, while comparing their notes on international and regional issues of common concern. 

The Vietnamese Party Chief congratulated Cuba on its recent successful local and national assembly elections, expressing his belief that Cuba will continue implementing successfully the process of updating the socialism economic model, opening a new development stage of the process to build a sovereign, independent, socialist, democratic, prosperous and sustainable state. 

He reiterated Vietnam’s consistent stance on supporting Cuba’s struggle for immediate and unconditional removal of economic, trade and financial sanctions against the country, and efforts to normalise the Cuba-US relations on the basis of equality, and respect for sovereignty, independence and political institutions of each country. 

Vietnam appreciated the prestige and role of Cuba in the Latin American and Caribbean regions, and in the international arena as well, he stated. 

First Secretary of the PCC Central Committee and President of the Councils of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba Raul Castro congratulated Vietnam on its prominent achievements in its Doi moi (renewal) process initiated by the CPV. 

He spoke highly of Vietnam’s peaceful foreign policy and international prestige; its efforts to protect independence and sovereignty, and to promote international integration; and the country’s contributions to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific regions, and in the world, affirming that Cuba supports and believes that Vietnam will continue obtaining greater achievements in the coming time. 

The two leaders agreed that the two sides should maintain regularly meetings at all levels, as well as those to discuss and share experience related to state leadership, socio-economic management, and Party building. 

The two sides stressed the importance of bilateral cooperation mechanisms like the exchange and cooperation agreement between the CPV and the PCC, the two Parties’ theoretical workshops, the Inter-governmental Committee on economic, scientific and technical cooperation, and the political consultation between the two foreign ministries. They expressed their resolve to enhance the effectiveness of these mechanisms.

General Secretary Trong and President Raul Castro emphasised the significance of enhancing economic partnership. They highly valued the two sides’ finalisation of the negotiation on a new trade agreement, considering this a basis for them to continue expanding economic and trade ties. Cuba also supports the increase of Vietnam’s investment in the country.

The two sides will consider their potential to boost cooperation in priority fields such as energy, telecommunication, tourism, construction, healthcare services, industry, agriculture, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, transport, and other spheres.

Raul Castro thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and Government for freeing the Cuban Government from its debt to the Vietnamese Government, describing this as an illustration of the two countries’ special relations.

The two leaders expressed their delight at the complete similarities in the countries’ stance on many international issues. They stressed that international disputes need to be resolved by peaceful means on the basis on international law and the UN Charter. They also underlined the necessity to respect the principles of independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to self-determination of countries, non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs, and no use of force or threat to use force.

They share the view that the increasingly tightened bilateral links will help expand Vietnam’s cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean nations and Cuba’s cooperation with Asian-Pacific countries.

They re-affirmed the validity of the fundamental principles of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), stressing that the targets and principles of NAM need to be thoroughly respected. They also applauded NAM’s contributions to the protection of the principles of international law.

Both sides renewed the commitment to promoting international peace and security and disarmament, especially nuclear disarmament. They expressed their delight at the two countries’ signing of and participation in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

They also agreed to effectively implement the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda, continue actively contributing to climate change response efforts.

The two leaders agreed that their countries will continue supporting each other at international organisations and multilateral forums, especially at the UN. They will foster cooperation and mutual support within the framework of the International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties, the Sao Paulo Forum, and other political and social forums.

In the statement, the two sides highly valued the success of the State visit to Cuba by General Secretary Trong, considering it a special event amid the 45th anniversary of the first visit to Vietnam by Fidel Castro Ruz, the only foreign leader visiting the newly liberated area in the 17th Parallel in Quang Tri province of Vietnam.

General Secretary Trong invited First Secretary and President Raul Castro to pay an official visit to Vietnam. The Cuban leader thanked and accepted the invitation with pleasure.-VNA