Reviewing the golden pages Vietnam-Cuba relations over the past 50 years, many ‘unique firsts’ between the two nations have been revealed. This is no simple love but a relationship where distance makes the heart grow fonder.

• The first journalist introducing Vietnam to Latin-American readers

In the writing “A walk on the land of An Nam people” in Golden Age magazine published in 1889, Cuban national hero Jose Marti described a prosperous and beautiful country with hard-working and brave residents who confronted with cruel invaders and won a resounding victory. At the end of the piece, with an optimistic and admiring view, the writer affirmed that in spite of living under brutal colonial slavery, the Vietnamese nation would certainly rise up again and gain victory. Assuredly, Jose Marti was the first journalist to introduce Vietnam to Latin-American readers.

• Cuba – the first country diplomatically recognizing the National Front for Liberation of South Vietnam

The Republic of Cuba was the first country to recognize on a diplomatic level for the National Front for Liberation of South Vietnam and gave the representative delegation of the front in the capital of La Habana operation regulations as an embassy. Cuba is also the first and only country placing their embassy next to the National Front for Liberation of South Vietnam. Ambassador, Raul Valdez Vivo presented letters of credential to the President of the front, Nguyen Huu Tho in July 1967.

• The first foreign head of state to visit the liberated southern region after an agreement

The special craft AN-24 which carried President Fidel Castro landed in the Dong Hoi field combat airport at 11 am of September 15^th, 1973. He was the first and only foreign head of state to visit Quang Tri at the 17th parallel south. During his visit, the president decided to offer five important economic projects, worth USD80 million, to Vietnam, including the Thang Loi hotel (the West Lake, Hanoi), Vietnam – Cuba hospital in Dong Hoi (Quang Binh), Moc Chau cow camp, Luong My chicken camp and Xuan Mai highway. He also presented cow and chicken varieties and sent civil engineering experts in roads and bridges to Vietnam to help Truong Son soldiers to expand the Ho Chi Minh trail. He decided to help to train over 1,000 Vietnamese students and advocated Vietnam to join the UN.

Currently, the Vietnam – Cuba hospital in Friendship road, Nam Ly district, Dong Hoi city, Quang Binh province is a complete project with five main blocks covering 20,000 square meters. It has 500 beds, 32 departments, 572 employees.

• The first country in the world to establish a Solidarity Committee with South Vietnam

Cuba was the first country in the world to establish a Solidarity Committee with the South of Vietnam on September 23^rd, 1963, chaired by Mrs. Melba Hernandez. The committee was changed into the Cuban committee for solidarity with Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Its network has 25,000 branches and it is the predecessor of the Vietnam – Cuba Friendship Association today. The committee gathered support from all classes, social organizations and the unions of Cuba with the participation of millions of Cuban people. The solidarity movement with Vietnam in Cuba fostered activities against US soldiers and supported opposing to the Vietnam War around the world./.

Translated by Bich Van ( Pham Nguyen )