State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc Meets with Cuban Prime Minister in Havana

Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc is welcomed at at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. Photo: VNA

Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a meeting with Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz in Havana on September 19 as part of his ongoing official visit to Cuba.

The Vietnamese President was welcomed at Havana Jose Marti International Airport by Politburo member, Vice President of Cuba Salvador Valdés Mesa and officials of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Thanh Tung, the embassy’s staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community working, living and studying in the country.

Vietnam and Cuba established diplomatic relationsin 1960. Cuba always took the lead in supporting Vietnam’s resistance war to regain national independence and reunification.

President Phuc’s visit to Cuba reflected Vietnam’s policy of promoting relations with priority partners and traditional friends. It is an opportunity for Vietnam to affirm its solidarity and strong support for Cuba in a challenging period, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang had said, according to the VNA.

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz (R) welcomes Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Havana on September 19. Photo: VOV

Marrero welcomed Phuc on his first visit to Cuba which he said will help constantly preserve and promote the special traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Phuc said he was happy when Cuba have firmly defended the fruits of the Revolution and recorded important development achievements in all areas, especially in realizing guidelines for ‘updating its economic model’.

He congratulated Marrero on his recent election to the Politburo of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and expressed his belief that under Marrero’s direction, the Cuban government will reap new successes in its performance.

Both leaders were pleased to see that the exemplary relationship between Vietnam and Cuba has been continuously consolidated and comprehensively developed in the context of unpredictable international situations and complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, reported the VOV.

Despite challenges and difficulties, they said the two sides have virtually maintained high-level dialogues and cooperation mechanisms, and promptly supported each other to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Phuc said that during the visit, leaders of various Vietnamese ministries and agencies have had working sessions with their Cuban counterpart to directly exchange information and specific measures to strengthen cooperation in many areas.

He suggested that the two Governments closely coordinate and effectively implement high-level agreements and existing cooperation mechanisms, especially the Inter-governmental Committee, in order to develop bilateral relations more substantively and raise their economic, trade and investment cooperation on a par with good political relations.

PM Marrero shared deeply about the COVID-19 pandemic and new policies on economic development, agricultural production, and small and medium enterprises of Cuba.

Vietnam and Cuba exchange views and measures to promote their special traditional friendship and cooperation in various areas. Photo: VOV

Phuc thanked the Cuban Government for sending its medical experts to Vietnam and providing thousands of doses of COVID-19 treatment drugs, as well as its willingness to cooperate with Vietnam in producing Abdala vaccine.

President Phuc proposed that Vietnam and Cuba will expand collaboration in heath care and pharmaceuticals, while fostering cooperation in COVID-19 vaccine supply and vaccine production technology transfer.

He thanked the Cuban Government for sending medical experts to Vietnam and providing Vietnam with thousands of COVID-19 treatment drug doses and being willing to work with Vietnam in producing Abdala COVID-19 vaccine. He said he hopes Cuba will continue to support Vietnamese people living and working in Cuba to access COVID-19 vaccines and medical services.

The same day, President Phuc and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation laid flowers at the President Ho Chi Minh statue in Peace Park in Havana. Cuban Politburo member and Vice President Salvador Valdés Mesa joined the delegation.

President Phuc and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation lay flowers at the President Ho Chi Minh statue in Peace Park in Havan. Photo: VNA

The statue, a symbol of the Vietnam-Cuba friendship and fraternal solidarity, was inaugurated on May 19, 2003 on the occasion of the Vietnamese national leader’s 113th birthday.

At the end of the meeting, President Phuc presented the book “Fidel Castro Ruz – A Great International Revolutionary” to PM Marrero.

On this occasion, he also invited PM Marrero to visit Vietnam soon.

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