Havana (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and the high-level Vietnamese delegationarrived in Havana on March 28 afternoon (local time), beginning his State visitto Cuba.

The visit from March 28-31 is made at the invitation of First Secretary of theCommunist Party of Cuba’s Central Committee and President of the Council ofState and the Council of Ministers Raul Castro Ruz.

He was welcomed at Jose Marti International Airport by Esteban Lazo Hernandez, Politburo member and President of the National Assembly, and other high-level Party andGovernment Party officials of Cuba. Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Nguyen TrungThanh and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Cuba were also presentat the airport to welcome the Party General Secretary.

During his stay in Cuba, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is scheduledto have talks and meetings with leaders of the Party and State of Cuba,discussing measures to boost cooperation between the two countries in thecoming time.

The visit demonstrates the importance Vietnam attaches to enhancing itsrelations with the Latin-American region, as well as the country’s efforts toconsolidate and advance its position.

Italso reflects solidarity and friendship between the Party, State and people ofVietnam and Cuban Party, State and people.

Thisis the first high-level meeting between the two countries after the passingaway of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro Ruz in 2016, and also theVietnamese Party chief’s first visit to Latin-America following the 12thNational Congress of the CPV the same year.

TheVietnam-Cuba solidarity and fraternal relationship, which were fostered byPresidents Ho Chi Minh and Fidel Castro, have developed across spheres,becoming a valuable asset and a source of great encouragement for therevolutionary cause of each country.

༒[Infographics: Vietnam-Cuba relationship: symbol of era]

Sincethe two countries set up diplomatic ties in December 1960, their solidarity,mutual support and comprehensive cooperation have been strengthened.

Thebilateral political ties have been reflected through the regular exchange ofvisits between the two countries’ Party, State and Government leaders.

Apartfrom intensifying delegation exchange between agencies of the Parties,ministries, agencies and businesses, the two countries have regularly andeffectively implemented cooperation mechanisms.

Alongwith the political ties, Vietnam and Cuba have also paid heed to economic andtrade bonds through a range of programmes and projects.

In2016, two-way trade reached 235 million USD, which expanded to 224.3 millionUSD in 2017. The two sides are striving to raise the bilateral trade to 500million USD by 2020.

Vietnammainly exports rice to Cuba, along with coal, chemicals, garments-textiles andcomputers, while importing pharmaceutical products.

TheVietnamese Government always encourages and creates the best possibleconditions for businesses of the two sides to expand cooperation in order tomake the economic and trade ties on par with bilateral political relations aswell as the special time-honoured friendship.

TheCuban side has also called for Vietnamese investments in food production, oiland gas exploration and exploitation, industry, tourism, bio-technology, andother priority areas in the Mariel Special Economic Development Zone.

Vietnamand Cuba still have substantial potential for cooperation. Vietnam has strengthin agriculture, telecommunications, electronics, computer science, electricity,consumption goods, and construction and building materials. Meanwhile, Cuba hasadvantages in education, training, health care, bio-technology, pharmaceuticalproducts and tourism.-VNA