Affirming the traditional solidarity and special friendship between Vietnam and Cuba

At the invitation of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, President of the Republic of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez and his wife, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam and his wife will pay a State visit to the Republic of Cuba from September 25 to 27, 2024.

This is the first visit of General Secretary and President To Lam to Cuba after being elected as the head of the Party and State, demonstrating the high regard of the Party, State and the General Secretary and President for Cuba and the Vietnam-Cuba relationship. Cuba is the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam since 1960. Over the past nearly 65 years, the traditional solidarity, support and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba have been constantly cared for, consolidated, promoted and developed in many fields. During the years when the Vietnamese people waged the resistance war for national liberation in the 1960s and 1970s, Cuba was always a symbol and a pioneer in the world people's movement to unite in support of Vietnam's just struggle, providing Vietnam with valuable and effective support and assistance. For its part, Vietnam has always actively strengthened solidarity and cohesion and strived to promote and improve the effectiveness of comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties and the two countries. Leaders of the two Parties and the two States have repeatedly emphasized that the relationship between the two countries is a "symbol of the times". The traditional solidarity and special friendship between Vietnam and Cuba is a valuable heritage that the Parties, States and people of the two countries highly value and continue to develop well through all channels. High-ranking Cuban leaders affirmed that Vietnam is a "strategic ally" and "the most trusted international partner". The relationship between the two Parties has deepened, playing the role of a political foundation, guiding the development of cooperation between the two countries. The two sides maintain bilateral contacts and exchanges of delegations at all levels, especially at the high level. Recently, Cuba declared a national mourning and sent National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernandez to pay tribute to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. The two sides also effectively implemented the mechanisms of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, Defense Policy Dialogue at the Deputy Minister of Defense level; Political consultation at the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs level... The leaders of the two countries agreed to inherit and strongly promote the good traditions, determined to bring the special relationship between the two countries to a new stage of development, increasingly in-depth and effective, focusing on raising economic, trade and investment cooperation to a level equal to the good political relationship between the two countries. Regarding trade cooperation, Vietnam is currently Cuba's second largest Asian trading partner, however, bilateral trade remains modest. On April 1, 2020, the Vietnam - Cuba Trade Agreement (signed in 2015) officially took effect, with many new preferential trade commitments, bringing benefits to businesses of the two countries and creating favorable conditions for bilateral import and export of goods. Regarding investment cooperation, Vietnam is currently the largest foreign investor in Asia in Cuba. Vietnamese enterprises are interested in and gradually expanding investment cooperation in Cuba, especially in the Mariel Special Economic Zone, in the fields of production of essential consumer goods, construction materials, and renewable energy. At international forums, especially the United Nations, the two sides actively support and assist each other, especially on issues of Vietnam's strategic interests. Vietnam persistently stands in solidarity with Cuba, opposes the US's blockade and embargo policies against Cuba, and calls for the embargo to be lifted. Head of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Le Hoai Trung said that the visit to Cuba by General Secretary and President To Lam aims to implement the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress, thereby affirming that Vietnam attaches great importance to and wishes to develop relations with traditional friendly countries. The visit demonstrates the solidarity, loyalty, exemplary, and consistent spirit of the Party, State, and people of Vietnam with the Party, State, and people of Cuba. At the same time, it affirms the Party, State, and people of Vietnam's desire to accompany, cooperate, and develop together to constantly consolidate, promote, and develop the traditional solidarity and special friendship with the Party, State, and people of Cuba. Through the visit, the highest leaders of the two Parties and States will exchange and evaluate the achievements and results of cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba in recent times and propose directions to strengthen and improve the effectiveness of cooperation in all fields, bringing the comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba to a new stage, increasingly developing substantially and sustainably, for the benefit of the people of the two countries.

“I believe that the visit will be a great success, contributing significantly to strengthening the special friendship and close brotherly camaraderie between the two peoples. The results achieved during the visit will contribute to continuing the glorious and beautiful history between the two countries and bringing the Vietnam - Cuba relationship to a new stage, more substantial and sustainable development, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, for socialism, for peace, cooperation and development in each region and in the world,” said Head of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Le Hoai Trung. According to Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Orlando Nicolas Hernandez Guillen, through the ups and downs of history, Vietnam and Cuba have always stood side by side, supported and helped each other in the most difficult times, and fought together against common enemies. These are eloquent evidences of the special brotherly friendship over the past 65 years between the two peoples half a world apart. “Comrade To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a great friend of the people, Party and Government of Cuba. Therefore, the upcoming visit is very important and has great significance. Over the years, there have been many important and breakthrough visits in many fields, but this is a unique opportunity for us to welcome the General Secretary and President. Therefore, the two sides may reach important agreements and treaties at the Party level, contributing to strengthening the relationship and exchanges between the two countries' Party organizations,” Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Orlando Nicolas Hernandez Guillen emphasized. The State visit to Cuba by General Secretary and President To Lam is a testament to the traditional solidarity and special friendship between Vietnam and Cuba, which has always been considered a valuable asset nurtured by the Party, State and people of the two countries, and at the same time demonstrates Vietnam's high regard for Cuba and Cuba's position in Vietnam's foreign policy.

Baotintuc.vn

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/khang-dinh-moi-quan-he-doan-ket-truyen-thong-huu-nghi-dac-biet-viet-nam-cuba-20240924084145910.htm