Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc is welcomed at at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HAVANA — President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and a high-ranking delegation of Việt Nam arrived in Havana on Saturday morning (local time), beginning a three-day official friendly visit to Cuba at the invitation of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC) Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz Canel.

The Vietnamese President was welcomed at Havana Jose Marti International Airport by Politburo member, Vice President of Cuba Salvador Valdés Mesa and officials of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Lê Thanh Tùng, the embassy’s staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community working, living and studying in the country.

President Phúc’s visit to Cuba reflected Việt Nam’s policy of promoting relations with priority partners and traditional friends. It is an opportunity for Việt Nam to affirm its solidarity and strong support for Cuba in a challenging period, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Đặng Hoàng Giang had said.

It is the first visit to Cuba by a senior leader of the Vietnamese Party and State after the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam.

President Phúc is also the first foreign head of state to visit Cuba after the Caribbean country successfully organised the 8th National Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba.

Over the past years, the Vietnamese Party, State and people have actively supported Cuba in food issue. In return, top leaders of Cuba directly instructed the early supply of COVID-19 vaccine and technology transfer to Việt Nam when the Southeast Asian country proposed.

During the visit, Vietnamese and Cuban leaders will discuss to further close coordination and concretise important collaboration areas between the two nations, and to deepen their solidarity in the new period.

President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc is scheduled to hold talks with First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC) Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz Canel; and meet with Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, and President of the National Assembly of the People’s Power and President of the Council of State Esteban Lazo Hernández.

On Saturday afternoon (local time), President Phúc and the Vietnamese High Delegation visited and met with officials and employees of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community living and working in Cuba.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Tùng said that the Vietnamese community living and working in Cuba, although not many, has achieved certain results, which are recognised by the Cuban Party and State. Vietnamese enterprises’ investment has appeared in Cuba in a number of fields. Vietnamese students in Cuba are mainly on government scholarships, with many excellent studying achievements.

President Phúc emphasised that the delegation's official friendship visit to Cuba aimed to continue the relationship between the two parties and states of Việt Nam and Cuba. It shows the consistent opinion from Việt Nam of always supporting the Cuban people.

The visit also aims to deepen the co-operation between the two countries in various fields. The two sides will sign many co-operation agreements, promoting the two countries' relations to develop more quickly and effectively.

The President also informed his hosts about the situation in Việt Nam, emphasising that the entire Party and people are constantly making efforts to overcome the severe consequences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with ensuring social security.

Also on Saturday afternoon (local time), President Phúc received First Deputy President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) Noemi Rabaza Fernandez, President of the Cuba – Việt Nam Friendship Association Maria Yolanda Ferrer Gomez and representatives of schools named after Uncle Hồ, Nguyễn Văn Trỗi and Võ Thị Thắng who came to greet the President.

First Deputy President Fernandez said President Phúc’s visit showed the special and profound affection of the Vietnamese Party, State and people for the Cuban Party, State and people.

Expressing honour to meet President Phúc, President of the Cuba-Việt Nam Friendship Association Gomez affirmed that the association will continue to contribute to the revolutionary cause of the two parties and peoples of the two countries. — VNS