The visit is a step to continue bolstering the special relations between Vietnam and Cuba and realise agreements reached during the State visit to Cuba by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in March this year and the visit to Vietnam by Vice President of the Council of State of Cuba Salvador Valdes Mesa last September.
It reiterates Vietnam’s consistent policy of unceasingly developing and cementing the friendship, fraternal solidarity, mutual trust, and comprehensive cooperation between the Parties, States, Governments and people of the two countries.
It also affirms Vietnam’s support for the revolutionary cause of Cuba.
The solidarity and fraternal relationship between Vietnam and Cuba were fostered by Presidents Fidel Castro and Ho Chi Minh. The relationship has become a valuable asset and a source of great encouragement for the revolutionary cause of each country.
The two countries established diplomatic ties in December 1960.
Over the past years, the time-honoured solidarity, mutual support and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries have been strengthened in all spheres.
Vietnam is one of the ten biggest world trade partners of Cuba and the second biggest in Asia.
Vietnam exports rice, coal, chemicals, garment-textiles and computers to Cuba while importing pharmaceutical products from the Caribbean country.
Two-way trade averaged 170 million USD each year between 2012 and 2014, and climbed to 218 million USD in 2015, and 230 million USD in 2016 and 2017, with Vietnam enjoying a trade surplus.
Cuba imported about 300,000-400,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam each year.
