Havana (VNA) – Party General Secretary and State President To Lam met with staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives from the Vietnamese community in Cuba in Havana on September 26 (local time) on the occasion of his State visit to Cuba.

Ambassador Le Quang Long reported to the Party and State leader that the Vietnamese community in Cuba, although few in number, have recorded certain achievements winning the recognition of the Cuban Party and State.

Vietnamese firms have invested in several domains in Cuba, and Vietnamese students, mostly recipients of Government scholaships, have made outstanding academic performance.

The diplomat expressed his belief that following the historic visit of Party General Secretary and President Lam, the relationship between Vietnam and Cuba will enter a new period, with the traditional special friendship maintained while investment and cooperative ties growing substantively, helping Cuba rise over difficulties.

The Party and State leader commended the Embassy and other Vietnamese representative missions in Cuba for the good performance in implementing their tasks, thus contributing to Cuba’s development and bilateral relations.

He highlighted that the traditional ties between Vietnam and Cuba, built on the foundation of the two nations’ unyielding struggle for independence, freedom, sovereignty and the right to self determination, and fostered by President Ho Chi Minh, Leader Fidel Castro and generations of leaders, have weathered fluctuations and ups and downs in history over the past more than 60 years.

He emphasised that it is the responsibility of Vietnam to support Cuba as well as the progressive movement in the world, which is also the wish of President Ho Chi Minh.

Lam affirmed that the traditional solidarity and support, and the comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba has constantly been strengthened and developed across all fields, and his visit this time again reiterates the importance that the Party, State and people of Vietnam attaches to the special ties with Cuba and the wish to strongly develop and elevate the Vietnam-Cuba relationship in the new period.

The top leader informed the Vietnamese community on the situation in the home country, and stressed that the Party is conducting a review in both theory and practices of the 40 years implementing Doi Moi (renewal), which will serve the development of the theory on Doi Moi and the path to socialism in Vietnam. The review will be the foundation to outline major guidelines and policies for the country’s new strategic development phase ahead, he said.

The leader expressed his wish that Vietnamese, wherever they live, will uphold national tradition and unity, support each other and contribute to the special friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba.

He urged the Vietnamese Embassy and other Vietnamese representative missions in Cuba to work harder in their role as the bridge in bilateral ties, promoting the implementation of bilateral agreements and commitments thus taking the Vietnam-Cuba relationship to a new phase./.