Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng holds talks with First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC) Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng on Tuesday evening engaged in a phone conversation with First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC) Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez.

General Secretary Trọng warmly congratulated Cuba on the 68th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution (July 26, 1953-2021) and the 100th birthday of heroine Melba Hernandez (July 28, 1921-2021), who was a comrade of Fidel and Raul Castro, a close friend of the Vietnamese people and a symbol of the special friendship between Vietnam and Cuba.

The Vietnamese Party leader praised the efforts of the Party, State and people of Cuba in carrying out the Resolution of the 8th Congress of the CPC, continuing to accelerate the process of updating the socialist socio-economic development model. He shared the difficulties that Cuba is facing in the context of tightened embargo measures and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on every aspect of Cuban people’s lives. He appreciated the work of the Party, State and the entire political system of Cuba to timely handle arising issues, thus stabilising the situation and firmly safeguarding the fruits of the revolution.

On behalf of the Party, State and people of Cuba, First Secretary of the CPC Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez thanked Việt Nam for the gift of 12,000 tonnes of rice at a time when Cuba is experiencing difficulties, describing it as a vivid manifestation of Việt Nam’s consistent solidarity and a source of great and timely encouragement for the Revolution and people of Cuba.

The Cuban leader informed Party General Secretary Trọng on the situation in Cuba and hostile forces’ plots to incite instability in the country while reiterating the firmness of Cuban communists and people in protecting the Revolution and its achievements of the people and for the people that was initiated by leader Fidel Castro.

He reiterated his wish to further deepen the special traditional friendship between the Parties, States and peoples of Việt Nam and Cuba. He stressed that Cuba is ready for and gives priority to cooperation with Việt Nam in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, including the provision of Cuban vaccines and the transfer of vaccine production technology to Việt Nam.  

Party General Secretary Trọng re-affirmed the faithful solidarity of the Party, State and people of Việt Nam with the righteous cause of the Cuban Party, State and people. Việt Nam will continue to accompany Cuba in the process of updating its model of socialist socio-economic development, he said, stressing that Việt Nam will continue to support Cuba in ensuring food security through the stable provision of rice and programmes to develop the production of rice, maize, coffee and aquatic products.

He appreciated the support and cooperation of Cuba and Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez himself in providing and transferring technology for the production of COVID-19 vaccine to Việt Nam in the future.

The two leaders discussed in-depth measures to enhance, expand and improve the efficiency of cooperation between the two Parties and countries, with a focus on increasing high-level exchanges to define strategic directions, share their experiences on issues of mutual concern, optimising existing cooperative mechanisms while studying cooperation possibilities in fields of both sides’ strength.

They underlined the significance of the cooperation in the COVID-19 vaccine, which they said will help Việt Nam realise its 'twin goals' while improving the commercial potential of Cuba’s science research, health care and vaccine production in Asia and the world. — VNS