HÀ NỘI — A Việt Nam – Cuba friendship meeting was held in Hà Nội yesterday, as part of the ongoing eight-day high-ranking Cuban National Assembly delegation visit led by Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernandez.

Addressing the event, President of the Việt Nam – Cuba Friendship Association (VCFA) Trương Thị Mai recalled that Cuba received and trained more than 1,000 Vietnamese students (many of whom became key officials) more than a decade before the victorious end of Việt Nam’s resistance war against the US.

She expressed her belief that despite the long geographical distance, Vietnamese and Cuban people will always stand side by side, reaffirming that the motto “solidarity with Cuba is the order of the heart” will always guide the country’s relations with Cuba.

Vice President and General Secretary of the Việt Nam Union of Friendship Associations (VUFO) Đôn Tuấn Phong said that in the future, the VUFO and the VCFA would continue to organise diverse activities to reinforce and boost the Việt Nam – Cuba friendship and educate younger generations on the long-lasting ties.

On behalf of Cuba alumni from Việt Nam, General Director of the Vietnam News Agency Nguyễn Đức Lợi recalled the time he spent in Cuba, stressing that Vietnamese students who studied in Cuba would always remember the warm sentiments they received from Cuban people.

Chairman of the Cuban National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernandez stated that in the new situation, the solidarity and cooperation between Việt Nam and Cuba would continue to be reinforced and bolstered.

He reiterated the famous saying of late Cuban leader Fidel Castro: “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed blood,” while highlighting that from whole-hearted sentiments in tough time in the past, the Parties, States and people of the two countries must foster their solidarity and fight for justice.

Earlier, VCFA President Trương Thị Mai, who is also a member of the Politburo and head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation, held a meeting with Chairman Hernandez.

The VCFA has 25 chapters across the country, and it regularly holds activities to bolster people-to-people connections between the two peoples, contributing to strengthening the friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples.— VNA