Vietnam gifts Cuba 5,000 tonnes of rice

Hue announced the donation during his meeting with President of the National Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández. On behalf of the Vietnamese National Assembly, he also gifted 300 tablets symbolically to Cuba’s National Assembly and People’s Councils, according to a statement from Vietnam’s NA.

At the talks, which took place following a welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese top legislator, the two legislators compared notes on orientations and measures to further strengthen the fraternal solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, legislatures and peoples.

They also briefed each other on the domestic situation, and exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern.

Lazo Hernández noted that the visit by Hue and his entourage is the first by a foreign high-ranking delegation to Cuba after the successful parliamentary elections in the Caribbean nation.

He called it a hallmark contributing to deepening the bilateral relations and fraternal solidarity between the two countries, especially in the context of Cuba celebrating the 62nd anniversary of the Giron Victory and the declaration of the socialist character of the Revolution (April 1961), and the 70th anniversary of the Moncada Barracks attack in Cuba (June 1953), and the two countries marking the 60th anniversary of Cuba’s establishment of the Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam (September 1963), and 50 years after Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s first visit to Vietnam and to the liberated zone in South Vietnam (September 1973).

The Cuban leader spoke highly of the Vietnamese delegation that includes representatives from the Vietnamese legislature, ministries and agencies relating to major cooperation areas between the two countries, and welcomed the participation of Vietnamese enterprises.

Lazo Hernández affirmed that Cuba always attaches importance to and wishes to deepen the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam. He also lauded and congratulated Vietnam on achievements the country recorded in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, maintaining economic growth and ensuring social welfare.

The leader used the occasion to thank the Vietnamese Party, State and people for their solidarity and sincere support for the revolutionary cause in Cuba as well as its cause of national defense, construction and development, especially in the present difficult time.

For his part, Hue congratulated Cuba on its successful organization of the 10th national assembly election and the April 19 session of the 10th NA of the People’s Power of Cuba that elected State and Government leaders for 2023-2028.

The Vietnamese Party, State and people fully believe that under the leadership of the Cuban Party and State, the Cuban people will reap more attainments in defending and building a socialist nation of prosperity and happiness, he affirmed.

He also congratulated Lazo Hernández on his re-election as President of the NA of People’s Power of Cuba, and invited him to soon visit Vietnam again.

He presented the book titled “Several theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path toward socialism in Vietnam” by Party General Secretary Trong to the Cuban top legislator.

He also thanked Cuba for its dispatch of experts to Vietnam in the pandemic combat, and donation of Covid-19 drugs and 5 million doses of Abdal vaccine.

The two leaders exchanged ideas on bilateral agendas and agreed on measures to strengthen relations and cooperation, and rejoiced at the developments of the special Vietnam-Cuba relations in the complex developments of the world situation.

They agreed that in the time to come, they will continue to closely coordinate in intensifying the exchange of delegations at various levels and regularly maintain cooperation mechanism. The two sides also agreed to continue supporting policies for firms to increase their investment in the fields suitable to the need, conditions and capacities of each country; effectively implement projects on developing the production of rice, maize and aquaculture in Cuba; and at the same time continue realizing key cooperation fields such as biotechnology, health care, tourism infrastructure, etc.

The two leaders stressed the importance of and agreed to coordinate closely in the activities related to the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Cuba’s Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam, the 50th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s first visit to Vietnam and to the liberated zone in South Vietnam to be held in Santiago de Cuba and Vietnam’s Quang Tri and Quang Binh provinces; thus continuing to further nurture and develop the two countries’ special, exemplary and faithful relations of friendship and solidarity, the foundation of which was laid by President Ho Chi Minh and President Fidel Castro.