National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ on April 19 delivers a speech at the special session of the 10th Cuban National Assembly. VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

Havana – National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vương Đình Huệ delivered a speech at a special plenary session of the 10th NA of the People’s Power of Cuba and a celebration of the 62nd anniversary of the Giron Victory at the Havana Convention Palace on April 19 afternoon (local time).

The session, broadcast live by Cuba’s national TV station, was attended by the presence of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, President of the NA of the People’s Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez, and all the parliamentarians of the country.

Chairman Huệ expressed his honour to lead a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese NA on an official visit to Cuba on the occasion of both countries’ major anniversaries, including; the 62nd anniversary of the Giron Victory and the declaration of the socialist nature of the Cuban Revolution; 70 years since the attack on the Moncada Barracks; the 60th anniversary of Cuba’s establishment of the Committee for Solidarity with South Việt Nam – the predecessor of the Cuba - Việt Nam Friendship Association; and the 50th anniversary of Cuban leader Fidel Castro Ruz’s first visit to Việt Nam and the liberated zone in South Việt Nam during wartime.

He thanked the Cuban Party and State for giving him a chance to be the first foreign guest to deliver remarks in front of the NA of the People’s Power of Cuba after the parliament elected a new State leadership of the Latin American nation.

He stressed that over more than 64 glorious years of the Cuban Revolution (since January 1959), Việt Nam is proud to have 63 years of standing side by side with Cuba. On December 2, 1960, the administration led by Fidel Castro became the first in the western hemisphere to set up full diplomatic ties with Việt Nam.

Huệ held that the similarities in the two countries’ histories, aspirations, revolutionary ideals, and heroic traditions of fighting for independence, freedom, sovereignty, and the people’s right to self-determination had connected the two peoples and created a solid foundation for the special and faithful relations between Việt Nam and Cuba.

In Việt Nam, people always keep in mind late leader Fidel Castro’s everlasting remark, “For Việt Nam, Cuba is willing to shed its blood”, as well as his bravery in visiting the liberated zone in South Việt Nam in Quảng Trị, located in the frontline between North and South Việt Nam, on September 16, 1973. He was the first and only foreign leader to do so.

The Chairman highlighted Cuba’s support for Việt Nam during the resistance war and trying times, stressing that Việt Nam never forgets and always remembers the fraternal assistance from Cuba.

Việt Nam’s solidarity with and support for Cuba has always been shown consistently and strongly, especially via Vietnamese Party and State leaders’ speeches with a steadfast stance at forums of the United Nations, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and international and regional events, he went on.

Though not an economic superpower, Cuba is a “superpower of humanity”, he said, noting that it has provided medical services for 165 countries, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The bright example of Cuba and the development of the left-wing movements in many Latin American countries reflect the trend of social progress and national independence in the world, which is emerging strongly in the western hemisphere.

Chairman Huệ also noted cooperation between the Vietnamese and Cuban parliaments has been enjoying attention from both countries’ Party and State leaders and substantially contributing to the relations and solidarity between the two peoples.

During this visit, leaders of the two parliaments will ink a cooperation agreement to intensify parliamentary ties. He revealed that many other cooperation deals would also be signed between the countries’ agencies, ministries, sectors, and localities.

Amid complex developments in the world, Việt Nam and Cuba need to become even more united, work closely together, stay steadfast in their revolutionary paths, and firmly maintain the principle of independence, self-reliance, and equal cooperation to serve as the basis for flexible and creative moves in reality, the visiting leader recommended.

He wished the strong cooperation between the two parliaments and the special and exemplary solidarity between the two countries would grow even further. Both countries will jointly move forwards for the sake of peace, national independence, democracy, and socialism.

Welcoming the Vietnamese delegation, President of the NA of the People’s Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez emphasised that Việt Nam and Cuba boast a traditional and unbreakable friendship. He highly valued Chairman Huệ’s efforts in promoting the two countries’ special relations and parliamentary ties.

He held that amid numerous crises and challenges in the world, countries like Việt Nam and Cuba should keep contributing to peace maintenance and sustainable development, in which their legislative bodies have an important role to play. VNS