Vietnam promotes solidarity and cooperation with Cuba
First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC) Central Committee and President of the Cuban State Council and Council of Ministers, Raul Castro, will pay an official visit to Vietnam on July 8 and 9.
This is President Castro's first visit to Vietnam in his capacity as leader of the Cuban Party, State and Government.
The visit takes place in the context of important developments in the relationship between the two countries as reflected in the outcome of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's official visit to Cuba in April this year.
President Castro's visit aims to implement the contents of the joint statement issued during General Secretary Trong’s visit and discuss measures to promote and enhance comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
Since they established diplomatic ties in December 1960, Vietnam and Cuba have maintained and developed their relationship in line with the aspirations and revolutionary faith of the two Parties, States and peoples.
The Vietnamese people always bear in mind that Cuba was the vanguard nation in the global people’s movement to support Vietnam’s struggle for independence, freedom and reunification in the past. The Cuban people continue to promote comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam today in construction, transport, bio-technology, education, health, sports and agriculture.
The countries maintain regular exchanges of delegations at all levels, as well as annual meetings of the Inter-governmental Committee, which has increased comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples.
Both sides strongly agree to further enhance their fraternal solidarity, friendship and cooperation and improve the effectiveness of these ties in line with each country’s strengths and potential.
The Vietnamese Government shipped 400,000 tonnes of rice to Cuba in 2010 and 300,000 tonnes in 2011, helping to ease the island's food issues.
The two countries are implementing a number of joint projects, including the third phase of a project to develop household rice production and another on cooperation in corn and soybean production, as well as a programme of Vietnamese-Cuban cooperation in producing rice in Cuba from 2010 to 2015, with Vietnam contributing a total of more than US$43 million.
Vietnam is continuing the oil and gas cooperation projects it signed with Cuba in 2007 and also promoting investment projects in Cuba for constructing infrastructure for tourism, telecommunications, education and training.