During talks after a welcome ceremony in Havana on November 17, President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers Raul Castro said Cuba highly values Vietnam’s experience and lessons during national construction and defense.

 

The leaders agreed that the two countries hold great potential for cooperation in the fields of economy-trade, investment, science-technology, agro-fisheries, processing, consumer goods, energy, medicine, education and training.

 

They vowed to continue maintaining and improving the existing cooperation mechanisms, including a seminar between the two Parties, the Inter-Governmental Committee, the defense deputy ministerial-level strategic dialogue, and deputy foreign ministerial-level consultation.

 

Vietnam and Cuba will consider the possibility of establishing appropriate mechanisms to enhance collaboration in researching, testing and manufacturing pharmaceuticals as well as boosting ties across culture, sport, tourism, training, transport, justice, finance and banking.

 

On the occasion, President Quang announced Vietnam’s rice gift of 5,000 tons for Cuba, and invited Castro to return to Vietnam for an official visit soon. The Cuban leader accepted the invitation. 

 

Following their talks, the two witnessed the signing of a governmental-level agreement on veterinary cooperation and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment.

 

On the evening of the same day, the Council of State of Cuba hosted a ceremony to award Jose Marti Order, the noblest distinction of the Cuban State, to President Tran Dai Quang. 

 

At his meeting with Esteban Lazo, President of the Cuban National Assembly of People’s Power, Quang proposed the two legislatures continue supporting and monitoring the implementation of the agreements reached by the two governments, thus improving outcomes of joint projects, particularly in trade-commerce, investment, security-defense and diplomatic activities.

 

For his part, Esteban Lazo affirmed Cuba always attaches importance to the experiences Vietnam gained during its 30 years of reform and is looking forwards to reinforcing ties between the two parties, states, national assemblies and peoples. 

 

He expressed his wish to visit Vietnam in 2017 to tighten solidarity and cooperation between the two national assemblies and peoples.