NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ (left) and President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández signed and exchanged an agreement on the establishment of an inter-parliament cooperation mechanism. VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI – National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ and President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández compared notes on orientations and measures to further strengthen the fraternal solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, legislatures and peoples during their talks in Havana on Thursday (local time).

At the talks, which took place following a welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese top legislator, host and guest 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 Huệ 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 Việt Nam and to the liberated zone in South Việt Nam (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 Việt Nam. He also lauded and congratulated Việt Nam 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 defence, construction and development, especially in the present difficult time.

For his part, Huệ congratulated Cuba on its successful organisation 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 Việt Nam again.

Huệ conveyed wishes and regards of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, President Võ Văn Thưởng and Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính to Cuban leaders - General Raúl Castro Ruz, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, and President of the NA of People's Power of Cuba Lazo Hernández.

On this occasion, Huệ presented the book titled Several theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path toward socialism in Việt Nam by Party General Secretary Trọng to the Cuban top legislator.

He also thanked Cuba for its dispatch of experts to Việt Nam 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 Việt Nam-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 realising 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 Việt Nam, the 50th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s first visit to Việt Nam and to the liberated zone in South Việt Nam to be held in Santiago de Cuba and Việt Nam's Quảng Tri and Quảng Bình 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 Hồ Chí Minh and President Fidel Castro.

At the talks, the leaders of the two National Assemblies also exchanged ideas on international and regional issues of mutual concern.

On this occasion, on behalf of the Vietnamese Party, State and people, NA Chairman Huệ announced the decision to donate 5,000 tonnes of rice to the Cuban people.

The two leaders signed and exchanged an agreement on the establishment of an inter-parliament cooperation mechanism between the two NAs; and witnessed the exchange of cooperation documents between the two countries’ ministries of construction, ministries of justice, ministries of science and technology, central committees of youth unions, and the Vietnam News Agency and the Prensa Latina. VNS