Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ on Wednesday received Politburo member and President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba, Esteban Lazo Hernandez. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ on Wednesday met Politburo member and President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba, Esteban Lazo Hernandez, who is on an official visit to Việt Nam and attended the 50th Anniversary of Leader Fidel Castro's visit to the Liberation Zone of Quảng Trị Province (September 1973 - September 2023).

Chairman Huệ expressed his enduring appreciation for his visit to Cuba in April 2023, particularly highlighting the warm, respectful, cordial, and thoughtful reception extended by the Party and State of Cuba to the Vietnamese delegation. He reminisced about his participation in the Special Plenary Session of the 10th Cuban National Assembly, during which he was accompanied by Esteban Lazo Hernandez across Cuba.

Cuban NA President Hernandez, conveyed his joy at returning to Việt Nam and reuniting with the Vietnamese NA Chairman. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Chairman Huệ for welcoming the delegation immediately upon their return from a lengthy overseas mission.

Hernandez emphasised the significance of NA Chairman Huệ's official visit to Cuba, which contributes to strengthening the traditional relations between the national assemblies of both countries and between their respective parties and peoples. The visit has also facilitated economic, trade, and investment cooperation.

Both NA leaders highly commended the continuous exchange of high-level delegations between the two countries, particularly between their national assemblies. Following NA Chairman Huệ's official visit to Cuba, many agreements between ministries, branches, and businesses of both nations are being actively implemented.

To further enhance the cooperative ties between the two national assemblies in the future, both sides pledged to promote high-level delegation exchanges at all levels, especially between friendly parliamentary groups and agencies of the national assemblies. They also agreed to organise a meeting between the Inter-Parliamentary Committees of the two countries in 2024.

Hernandez expressed his gratitude to Chairman Huệ for inviting the Cuban National Assembly to send a delegation of young parliamentarians to attend the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Hà Nội. On behalf of the Party, State, and People of Cuba, the President of the Cuban NA thanked Việt Nam for its support over the years and for advocating the Cuban NA's observer status in the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.

NA Chairman Huệ rejoiced in the continued strengthening and robust development of the exemplary, faithful, and fraternal relationship between Việt Nam and Cuba. He affirmed Việt Nam's unwavering commitment to fortifying the special traditional solidarity, friendship, and cooperation between the two countries.

In the context of a rapidly evolving, complex, and unpredictable international landscape, Việt Nam attaches great importance to its relations with traditional friends, including Cuba, and remains steadfast in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development, Huệ said.

He also proposed that both sides enhance their coordination in multilateral international forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and other multilateral parliamentary organisations and support each other's positions on regional and international issues of common concern.

Both NA leaders agreed on the necessity for the two countries to bolster their economic, trade, and investment cooperation. NA President Esteban Lazo Hernandez underscored Cuba's view that strengthening economic, trade, and investment relations with Việt Nam is of strategic importance and expressed gratitude for the presence of Vietnamese businesses in Cuba. Vietnamese companies are currently the leading investors from Asia in Cuba.

The Economic Committee of the Cuban NA also looks forward to welcoming a delegation from the Economic Committee of the Vietnamese NA to visit and exchange operational experiences, he said.

During the meeting, the Vietnamese NA Chairman reaffirmed Việt Nam's commitment to supporting Cuba in ensuring food security. He suggested that both countries identify key areas of cooperation, encouraging collaboration, joint ventures, and investments based on the needs, conditions, and capacities of each nation.

He also requested that Cuba address any obstacles and difficulties, creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to invest confidently in Cuba. — VNS