Hanoi (VNA) – Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s visit to the newly-liberatedregion in central Quang Tri province in mid-September 1973 has become a symbolof fraternity between Vietnam and Cuba.

ThenFirst Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and PrimeMinister Fidel Castro was the first foreign leader to visit the liberated zonein southern Vietnam, despite geographical distance and the dangers of the warat that time.

JournalistNguyen Duy Cuong, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam-Cuba FriendshipAssociation, said the Cuban leader’s trip helped encourage the Vietnamese armyand people during the resistance war against the US, towards the victory onApril 30, 1975.

Cuong,who had studied and worked in Cuba for more than 15 years and once met Fidel, notedthat through the visit, the Cuban leader sent a message of solidarity withVietnam to the world, and that Cuba became the pioneer in this regard.

Fidelalways had special sentiments to Vietnam and backed Vietnam’s just cause, hesaid, citing Fidel’s words “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its blood”.

Cuba’s support for Vietnam has also been reflected throughsocio-economic establishments such as Thang Loi Hotel in Hanoi,the 50-km Son Tay-Xuan Mai road, Moc Chau Dairy Farm in the northernmountainous province of Son La, a chicken farm in the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binhand Dong Hoi Hospitalin central Quang Binh province.

Between1961 and 1975, Cubapresented about 50,000 tonnes of sugar to Vietnam each year and sent doctorsto the country to care for war invalids and sick soldiers, Cuong said.

Nearly1 million Vietnamese students who studied in Cuba during the period havecontributed significantly to national construction and defence after returninghome, he added.

AssociateProf. Dr. Nguyen Viet Thao, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academyof Politics and President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association of Hanoi,said bilateral cooperation has expanded in various areas, ranging fromagriculture to industry, construction, trade, investment, culture, educationand science-technology.

Hesaid the development of Vietnam-Cuba ties has helped protect and developsocialism in the two countries over the years.

Thetime-tested relationship is the pride of the Vietnamese and Cuban people, Thaosaid.

EchoingThao’s views, Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres Rivera said Cubanleader Fidel Castro and President Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam represent thefraternity between the two peoples, and their spirit has been carried forwardby the two countries.

Vietnam and Cubashould reinforce their friendship, she suggested, highlighting Cuba’s efforts to enhance economic, trade andinvestment ties as well as medical cooperation with Vietnam.

Topromote the bilateral solidarity, Cuong also stressed the need to intensifycommunication work to raise public awareness, especially among youngsters,about the long-standing relations.-VNA