Hanoi (VNA)ꦉ - The friendship between Vietnam and Cuba is very special, built on a foundation of solidarity, cooperation, and mutual trust in all areas. The Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Year 2025 will be an opportunity to honour this unique historical legacy between the two peoples, according to newly-appointed Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the occasion of the New Year 2025, Polanco Fuentes said that the friendship is built on a history of close ties throughout their struggles against colonialism and imperialism, as well as in the process of building socialism. After the historic visit to Cuba in September 2024 by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, the bilateral relations have developed to a new, comprehensive, effective, and sustainable level. Both sides need to further promote economic, trade, and investment cooperation, as their high-level leaders have shown great interest in new and promising projects in such areas as food production, research and development of biopharmaceutical products, energy projects, and many other potential fields of cooperation. Cuba is committed to creating favourable conditions and offering incentives to encourage Vietnamese businesses to participate in Cuba's socio-economic development, he stated, adding that it aims to identify new areas of economic, trade, and technological collaboration based on the strong development achievements that Vietnam has attained. During the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Year 2025 when the two countries celebrate the 65th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties, they will maintain high-level political exchanges, and plan to hold important commemorative events in both Vietnam and Cuba. In the cultural field, the two countries will increase exchanges between organisations and artists in the spheres of fine arts, music, cinema, literature, and other forms of art. They are expected to open an exhibition of posters about the solidarity struggle by the people of Cuba and Vietnam during the 1960s and 1970s. Cuba will establish a department for the study of President Ho Chi Minh's thought to better understand the ideology of the great leader of the Vietnamese people, while a department for the study of Fidel Castro will be established in Vietnam, in commemoration of the 100th birth anniversary of the Cuban revolutionary leader. Additionally, Cuba will host the 6th theory seminar between the two Parties and the 2nd scientific conference on the revolutionary vision of the two leaders. Notably, in the first half of 2025, the 42nd session of the Intergovernmental Committee is expected to take place, focusing on strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in promoting the implementation of new projects that bring mutual benefits, the diplomat said. According to the ambassador, Cuba and Vietnam have proved that the building of socialism is achievable, where both Parties and States continuously strive to place people at the centre and ensure their full rights. Cuba admires Vietnam for its socio-economic successes during the Doi moi (Renewal) period, which is a clear testament to the prosperity of a socialist society under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. And Cuba is confident that Vietnam will successfully organise the 14th National Party Congress in early 2026 and achieve its goal of becoming a developed socialist-oriented nation with high income by 2045, said Polanco Fuentes. Similarly, Cuba is implementing its socio-economic development programme by 2030, despite being affected by increasing economic, trade, and financial sanctions from the US, as well as being unjustly placed in the list of countries sponsoring terrorism. In this context, Cuba has always received strong solidarity from Vietnam, he stressed. On the occasion of the New Year, the diplomat extended his best wishes for peace, harmony, unity, and good health to the people of Vietnam. He expressed his hope that the new year will bring even more prosperity to the two countries, while further strengthening their special friendship./.