PM Phạm Minh Chính (8th from right), President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez (9th from right), and officials of the two countries pose for a group photo at the meeting in Hà Nội on Wednesday. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Wednesday received a high-ranking delegation of the Cuban Party and State led by President of the National Assembly of People's Power Esteban Lazo Hernandez who is in Việt Nam to offer condolences and attend the national funeral for General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

The Cuban leader conveyed the Cuban Party, State, Government, and people’s deep condolences to their Vietnamese counterparts, including PM Manuel Marrero Cruz’s to PM Chính, on the passing of General Secretary Trọng.

He affirmed the Cuban people always stay united and stand side by side with the Vietnamese people in any circumstance, voicing his belief that the Vietnamese Party, State, Government, and people will continue harvesting successes in the cause of national construction and development and on the path towards socialism.

Thanking the Cuban Party, State, Government, and people for their sincere condolences and sympathies to Việt Nam in this moment of grief, PM Chính reaffirmed Việt Nam’s consistent policy of consolidating and developing the special fraternity, faithful solidarity, traditional friendship, and comprehensive cooperation with Cuba.

The Vietnamese PM expressed his wish to join hands with the Cuban Party, State, Government, and people to maintain and promote the exemplary relationship that has been nurtured by generations of the two countries’ leaders, including General Secretary Trọng.

The Vietnamese Government will always stand shoulder by shoulder, stay united with, and support the Cuban Government and people, he said, adding that it will continue sharing experience and boost all-round and fruitful cooperation with Cuba, particularly in trade, agriculture, renewable energy, and pharmaceuticals.

For his part, Hernandez stated that Cuba always attaches importance to the special friendship with Việt Nam and views the cooperation with the Southeast Asian nation as strategically significant amid many challenges and difficulties in external relations and socio-economic affairs facing the Caribbean country.

The President of the Cuban NA appreciated the solidarity, support, and timely and effective assistance that the Vietnamese Party, State, and people have given to Cuba, especially the help with stabilising food supply and developing food production in the Caribbean country.

Cuba encourages and will assist Vietnamese enterprises to invest and do business successfully in the country, he added. VNS