National Assembly Chairman arrives at José Martí airport, starting official visit to Cuba

At exactly 2:50 p.m. on April 18 (local time), Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly arrived at José Martí Airport, Havana, to begin an official visit to the Republic of Cuba at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernandez.

Photo caption — National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue arrives at Jose Martí Airport. Photo: Doan Tan/VNA

Welcoming National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and the delegation at the airport were: Vice President of the Cuban National Assembly Ana Maria Mari Machado; Head of the Party Central Committee's Foreign Affairs Committee Emilio Lozada García; Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Cuban National Assembly Yolanda Ferrer Gómez; representatives of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs ... Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Thanh Tung, a number of officials from the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community and students studying and working in Cuba warmly welcomed the delegation at the airport.

The visit of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue took place on the occasion of the two countries celebrating many important events such as: the 62nd anniversary of the victory at Giron Beach and the Declaration of the Socialist Nature of the Cuban Revolution, the 70th anniversary of the attack on Moncada Barracks; the 60th anniversary of Cuba's establishment of the Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam (the predecessor of the current Cuba - Vietnam Friendship Association); the 50th anniversary of leader Fidel Castro Ruz's first visit to Vietnam and to the Liberation Zone of South Vietnam.

It is expected that during his official visit to Cuba, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue will hold talks and meet with senior leaders of the Cuban Party and State; sign a cooperation agreement between the two countries' National Assemblies; attend a special session of the 10th Cuban National Assembly, attend the 62nd anniversary of the Giron Beach victory; participate in political and artistic activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam; attend the Vietnam - Cuba Business Forum; visit the Embassy, meet the Vietnamese community in Cuba, etc.

The National Assembly Chairman will witness the signing ceremony of cooperation agreements between ministries, branches and localities and attend a number of economic , cultural and educational activities...

Despite being geographically far apart, in the history of the contemporary world, there is rarely a relationship as special as the relationship between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Vietnam and Cuba. The good relationship between the peoples of the two countries was established by Cuban national hero José Martí, President Ho Chi Minh, President Fidel Castro and has been diligently nurtured by generations of Cuban and Vietnamese leaders.

Over the past 60 years, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Vietnamese and Cuban peoples have always stood side by side in the struggle for independence and freedom as well as in the cause of building and defending the socialist Fatherland in each country. Despite many challenges and ups and downs in the world situation, the traditional solidarity and special friendship between Vietnam and Cuba continue to be promoted and strengthened in all channels in a more practical and substantial manner. National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue's official visit to the Republic of Cuba is the highest-level visit by a Vietnamese leader to Cuba as well as the Latin American region in 2023, aiming to implement the foreign policy of the 13th National Congress of the Party; he is the first high-ranking foreign leader to visit Cuba after Cuba held the General Election to elect a new National Assembly and important positions of the State according to the Constitution. The visit reaffirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to continuing to consolidate and enhance the special solidarity, friendship and exemplary loyalty between Vietnam and Cuba; promoting cooperation between the two countries' National Assemblies and cooperation in areas of both sides' strengths and needs. VNA reporters accompanying the delegation continued to report on events during the official visit to Cuba by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly.