Vietnamese, Cuban Prime Ministers hold talks

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Cuban counterpart Manuel Marrero Cruz held talks following the official welcome ceremony in Hanoi on September 29 for the Cuban Government leader, who is paying an official visit from September 28-October 2.

PM Chinh expressed joy at the constant development of Vietnam-Cuba ties over the past years, noting that even during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020-2021, the two countries held regular phone and online talks, and a visit by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc to Cuba in September 2021. He also thanked Cuba for providing timely and effective support for Vietnam in its fight against the pandemic.

The Vietnamese PM appreciated new developments in bilateral cooperation, especially in agriculture, investment and health care as well as the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

PM Manuel Marrero Cruz congratulated Vietnam on its socio-economic recovery and development after putting the pandemic under control and wished to learn from the Southeast Asian country's experience in the field. Cuba always treasures and wishes to further deepen the special traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam, he said.

The two sides agreed to maintain dialogues and the exchange of delegations at high level and between ministries, sectors, localities and businesses while improving the efficiency of bilateral cooperation via mechanisms such as theoretical workshop between the two Parties, and the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic, Scientific-Technological Cooperation.

On the occasion, PM Chinh announced the Vietnamese Party and State’s decision on presenting Cuban people 5,000 tonnes of rice to help them overcome recent socio-economic difficulties.

The Cuban PM thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for giving support to Cuba, especially the help following the fire at fuel storage facility in Matanzas province on August 5, and the rice aid this time.

The two PMs discussed measures to enhance practical and effective coordination in politics-diplomacy, national defence-security, trade-investment, agriculture, health care, education-training, toward bringing economic ties on par with the two countries' fine political relations.

They reached consensus on several measures to intensify collaboration in agro-fisheries, food security, health care and pharmaceuticals. Both sides pledged to offer all possible support to their firms to do business in industrial zone and tourism infrastructure, construction materials, consumer goods, renewable energy and other promising fields.

Sharing Vietnam's experience in socio-economic development, PM Chinh introduced theoretical and practical experience in Vietnam's socialism building, and in building an independent, self-reliance economy with global integration and in responding to global economic challenges.

On regional and global issues of shared concern, they concurred to continue with consultations and mutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums. They also shared the stance on supporting the settlement of disputes by peaceful means based on respect for international law and the United Nations Charter.

The Cuban side affirmed support for ASEAN’s central role and the wish to strengthen ties with the bloc, evidenced by its entry to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in November 2020. The Vietnamese side also reaffirmed its consistent stance on demanding the lifting of unilateral economic and financial embargoes on Cuba.

PM Manuel Marrero Cruz invited PM Chinh to pay an official visit to Cuba in the near future. PM Chinh accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Following the talks, PM Chinh, on behalf of the Vietnamese Party and State, presented the Ho Chi Minh Order, the noble distinction of the Vietnamese State, to the Cuban PM.

The two Government leaders also witnessed the signing of three bilateral cooperation agreements, including an Action Plan for the implementation of the Vietnam-Cuba economic agenda for 2023-2025, an MoU on agriculture and food cooperation between the two agriculture ministries, and an Action Plan on medical cooperation between the two health ministries./.