Hanoi (VNA) – GeneralSecretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen PhuTrong’s visit to Cuba will be an opportunity for the two countries to reaffirm theircommitment to preserving their historic legacy and strengthening brotherhood,said Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres Rivera.

The visit will also embrace the twonations’ joint effort to address challenges of the 21st century forthe well-being of both sides, Rivera told the Vietnam News Agency ahead ofGeneral Secretary Trong’s State visit to Cuba from March 28-31.

High-level mutual visits between Vietnamand Cuba in the past demonstrated the two nations’ strong political relations, theambassador said. She highlighted that the historic exchanges between PresidentHo Chi Minh and President Fidel Castro have paved the way for the bilateralties to grow with a deep sense of brotherhood and solidarity; and the Vietnam-Cubafriendship has set an example of a foreign relation.

The General Secretary’s visit is ofsignificant importance as it takes place in 2018, the year marking the 45th anniversary of President Fidel’s historic visit to a newly liberated area inQuang Tri, the fiercest battlefield in the anti-US war, in 1973, bringing to Vietnamesepeople a great encouragement amidst their struggle for national reunification,she noted.

The Vietnam-Cuba relations have shownprogress in several fields but there are potential in other areas that willrequire joint initiatives to be unleashed, she said. “The prospect should focuson consolidating what we have already achieved and venturing into other areasthat are promising.”

The two sides have much experience incooperating in the fields of agriculture, health care, biotechnology,construction and justice. Each country’s press has also benefited from theiragreements in human resources training and experience exchange. Many Vietnamesestudents arrive in Cuba every year to study in multiple fields while Cubanstudents have been offered education on Vietnamese language and culture at the HanoiUniversity, she added.

Rivera went on to say that Vietnam isnow the second largest trade partner in Asia and Oceania and the biggest rice supplierof Cuba.

To further bolster the specialfriendship between Vietnam and Cuba, the diplomat suggested the two nationsmaintain exchange of visits at all levels and back initiatives to bring themcloser. She also wanted the two sides to make concrete steps to give the younggeneration better understanding of their long-standing relations. She wasconvinced that strengthened friendship will be an advantage to bring thebilateral economic and investment relations to the same height as the politicalties.

General Secretary of the Communist PartyNguyen Phu Trong will pay a State visit to Cuba from March 28-31 at theinvitation of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba’sCentral Committee and President of the Councils of State and Ministers Raul CastroRuz.-VNA