Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính held phone talks with his Cuban counterpart Manuel Marrero Cruz on July 1 to discuss measures to continue enhancing the special traditional friendship and comprehensive and trustworthy cooperation between the two Parties, governments and people.

PM Chính congratulated the Communist Party of Cuba on the success of its 8th National Congress and Manuel Marrero Cruz on his election as a Politburo member.

He said that Việt Nam treasured, and was determined to further deepen, the bilateral friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries in the near future and spoke highly of efforts of both sides to increase consultations and launch bilateral cooperation mechanisms amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conveying thanks to the Cuban Government for sending medical experts and supplies to Việt Nam to cope with the pandemic, PM Chính congratulated Cuba on its positive results in research and development of COVID-19 candidate vaccines.

PM Marrero Cruz, said that the Cuban Government and people always cherished the solidarity, precious support and sharing of practical experience Việt Nam had given to Cuba.

He said Cuba wanted to expand collaboration with Việt Nam in trade, investment, agriculture, health care, pharmaceuticals, including COVID-19 vaccine production technology transfer.

Both leaders agreed to direct ministries and agencies concerned to share expertise and reach an agreement on the transfer of COVID-19 vaccine production technology from Cuba to Việt Nam.

They expressed their belief that the fraternal ties between Việt Nam and Cuba would enter a new development period, especially in economy, trade and investment, for the benefit of the two countries' people, and for the sake of peace, stability and development in the two regions.

The two PMs vowed to offer mutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums.

"Despite geographical distance, Việt Nam always stands side by side with and supports Cuba in any circumstance," PM Chính said.

He also affirmed Việt Nam’s consistent stance on strongly supporting the United Nations General Assembly’s resolutions asking for an end to the economic, commerce and trade embargo imposed by the US against Cuba. — VNS