Quang Tri province leaders visit and work in Cuba

At the invitation of the Head of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, Emilio Lozada Garacía, and with the consent of the Prime Minister, the working delegation of the leaders of Quang Tri province led by the Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Nguyen Dang Quang, paid a visit and worked in Cuba from December 12 to 14, 2023.

Cuba, the heroic and beautiful island nation, established official diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1960. Over the past 60 years, the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba have continued to be strengthened and developed in all fields and have coordinated and supported each other at international forums.

The two sides maintained the exchange of delegations at all levels; the leaders of the two countries affirmed to continue to inherit and strongly promote the tradition of the exemplary and rare relationship between Vietnam and Cuba, bringing the cooperation between the two countries to a new stage of development, going deeper and more effective, focusing on raising the level of economic cooperation to match the good political relationship.

Some activities of the Quang Tri Provincial Delegation in Cuba - Photo: VB

When mentioning Cuba, in the hearts of every Vietnamese person in general and the people of Quang Tri province in particular, we will never forget the immortal words of leader Fidel Castro "For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to sacrifice its blood" and the image of Fidel, the first and only foreign leader to visit the liberated area of the South in Quang Tri in September 1973, leaving an unforgettable mark in the hearts of the people of Quang Tri.

In recent years, Quang Tri province has actively implemented many important foreign affairs activities, in which friendly exchange and cooperation activities with Cuba have always been focused on such as: Cuba sent experts to help Quang Tri plan tourism on Con Co island and many other technical and material support activities.

In 2019, the Cuban Ministry of Health and Quang Tri province signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the health sector, establishing a comprehensive cooperation strategy in the health sector between Quang Tri province and Cuba.

In 2022, the Cuban Government granted two scholarships to Quang Tri students to study medicine in Cuba. In 2018, Quang Tri province completed the construction of Fidel Park in the center of Dong Ha City, the first park in Vietnam named after the leader of the beloved country of Cuba.

In April 2023, the leaders of Quang Tri province and Holguin province signed a Memorandum of Understanding on establishing friendly and cooperative relations under the witness of the Chairmen of the National Assembly of the two countries. This Memorandum of Understanding has opened up new directions for cooperation in areas of mutual interest and advantage for the two provinces. In particular, in September 2023, Quang Tri province was honored to be chosen as the venue for the 50th Anniversary of President Fidel Castro's visit to the liberated zone of South Vietnam in Quang Tri; and welcomed high-ranking leaders of the Party and State of Cuba and Vietnam to attend.

During this working trip to Cuba, the Quang Tri delegation had activities such as: offering flowers at the statue of Uncle Ho in Ho Chi Minh Park, Jose Marti Memorial in Havana; paying a courtesy call to Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee Rogelia Polanco Fuanti; meeting with Head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee Emilio Lozada García; visiting the primary school named after Vietnamese Hero Vo Thi Thang in La Havana; visiting the Fidel Castro Center; visiting the Cuban Institute for Friendship with Peoples (ICAP); having a bilateral meeting with the First Secretary of Villa Clara Province and a number of other activities.

Speaking at the meetings and working sessions, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Dang Quang shared information on the socio-economic development, national defense - security, and Party building work of Quang Tri province in recent times.

Quang Tri province always respects and is grateful to the Party, Government and People of Cuba, especially leader Fidel Castro, for their great encouragement and support to the Vietnamese people in general and Quang Tri in particular in the past struggle for national liberation as well as in the current cause of building the homeland. At the same time, it affirms that the special relationship between Vietnam and Cuba is an exemplary and loyal relationship stemming from the similarities in the history of the struggle for independence, in the ideals and goals of building socialism, in the independent and autonomous foreign policy and in the noble international spirit.

Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Dang Quang was pleased to note that in recent years, despite facing many difficulties and challenges due to the US blockade and embargo and the impact of COVID-19, Cuba has made efforts to overcome and achieved many outstanding achievements. The Politburo of the Communist Party of Cuba has also approved the "Socio-Economic Development Strategy to 2030" to promote internal strength, combined with attracting external resources for economic recovery. Cuba is actively building a long-term legal corridor, issuing a number of documents with market economic elements.

Quang Tri province is striving to build its homeland to become more and more beautiful, worthy of being the land that has left a deep impression of the sentiment and image of President Fidel Castro, and a bright spot in the history of the close comradely and brotherly relationship between Vietnam and Cuba. We hope that the Cuban Party and State will continue to have many cooperation programs with Vietnam and Quang Tri province in various fields, especially in areas where Cuba has strengths such as health care, tourism, education and training.

Nguyen Van Bien

Source