Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khaireceived Vice President of the Cuban National Assembly (NA) of People’s Power AnaMaria Machado in Hanoi on September 18, calling for support from the Cuban leader for economic,trade, and investment ties to develop on par with political relations between the two nations.

Khai said that the visit by Machado, who has been inVietnam to attend the 9th Global Conference of YoungParliamentarians, demonstrates Cuba’s support for Vietnam and helps strengthenthe special traditional friendship between the two countries.

The trip is even more significant as the two sides arecelebrating the 60th founding anniversary of the Cuban Committee forSolidarity with South Vietnam (September 1963) and 50 years since Cuban leader FidelCastro Ruz first visited Vietnam and came to the liberated zone in SouthVietnam (September 1973), he said.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government, Khai congratulated Cuba onits successful organisation of the G77+China Summit, which had been attended byover 100 international delegations. Vietnamese Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha attendedthe event and engaged in a number of multilateral and bilateral activities inthe Caribbean nation.

Khai expressed his delight that the Vietnam - Cuba solidarity and mutual trust havecontinued growing strongly, practically, and effectively. Dialogue andcooperation mechanisms have been maintained, especially after the COVID-19pandemic. Relations between the Parties, States, and people of Vietnam and Cuba have been increasinglyintensified.

In addition, economic, trade and investment ties have received more attention. Despitemany difficulties and challenges, bilateral trade reached 182 million USD in2022. Vietnamese businesses have also gradually expanded investment in Cuba,particularly in the areas where Cuba has advantages such as agriculture and foodsecurity, defence - security, culture, education, and science - technology, henoted.

The Deputy PM expressed his hope that in the spirit of both comradeship and fraternity,Vietnam and Cuba will keep fostering cooperation to promote the practical andresult-oriented development of their ties.

For her part, Machado applauded Vietnam’s recentachievements and cooperation in various fields between the two countries, andinformed her host about Cuba’s socio-economic situation.

Cuba will continue enhancing relations with Vietnam in differentfields and creating conditions for Vietnamese firms to cooperate, invest, anddo business in the country, she affirmed.

Cuba has a contingent of highly experienced experts, not only in healthcarebut also in other spheres, Machado said, adding that the Cuban NA willexert all-out efforts to contribute to the bilateral ties for the sake of the two nations' people.

Sharing his guest’s views on the bilateral relations andcooperation, Khai presented some of the VietnameseGovernment’s proposals and voiced his hope for support from leaders of theCuban Party, Government, and NA so as to develop economic, trade, andinvestment ties on par with their potential and the sound political relations.

Within the cooperation framework and its capacity, theVietnamese Government will do its utmost to nurture and promote traditional relations, particularly in the fields where they are strong, he said.

The Deputy PM also called on Cuba to continue assistingVietnamese enterprises to expand investment, production, and business activities andissue a suitable payment mechanism for projects, including the implemented onesin agriculture./.