SGGP
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Cuban President Fidel Castro's historic visit to the liberated zone of Quang Tri (1973-2023), SGGP Newspaper is pleased to present an article by Ms. Ariadne Feo Labrada, Consul General of Cuba in Ho Chi Minh City.
Great support
In a speech to Vietnamese leaders during his visit to Vietnam in September 1973, Cuban leader Fidel Castro stated: “Vietnam has given all oppressed and exploited peoples an unforgettable lesson. No liberation movement, no independence fighters have had to wage such a long and heroic struggle as the Vietnamese people…”
Fidel was the only head of state to visit the liberated areas of South Vietnam, and he fulfilled his long-held wish. His presence certainly showed the world that Vietnam was not alone and affirmed the unconditional support of the Cuban people...
Ten years before leader Fidel Castro's visit to Quang Tri, on September 25, 1963, the Cuban Solidarity Committee with Vietnam was established in Cuba, headed by the heroine of Moncada, Melba Hernández. This was a politically significant event in the history of relations between the two countries, and this year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Cuban Solidarity Committee with Vietnam.
During the difficult times of the war against the US, the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with Vietnam and the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association contributed to breaking the international silence regarding war crimes in Vietnam. Cuba was also the first country to have an ambassador to the Provisional Government of South Vietnam.
Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro always reminded the Cuban people that the Vietnamese people's struggle was not only for Vietnam's own independence but also for the world revolutionary movement. Vietnam is an example and a source of inspiration for the Cuban people.
Over the past six decades, the leaders of the Vietnamese and Cuban Parties and Governments have preserved and strengthened the special political relationship, solidarity, and cooperation that characterizes the relationship between the two nations. Diplomatic relations were established on December 2, 1960, under the guidance of leaders Ho Chi Minh and Fidel Castro Ruz from the very beginning.
It's not just a relationship between two parties, two states, or economic, trade, and social relations; we are also united by a spirit of independence and anti-imperialism. José Julián Martí Pérez, a Cuban national hero, was the first to introduce us to Vietnamese culture and history in his story "Walking Through the Anamite Land," published in the magazine La sangre de Oro in 1889.
The relationship has expanded across many areas of cooperation despite distance and economic difficulties. During the Covid-19 pandemic, both sides supported each other in combating the pandemic by exchanging experiences and donating vaccines and medical supplies. Vietnam is Cuba's second-largest trading partner and the largest foreign investor in the Asia-Oceania region.
In the political sphere, high-level visits and exchanges between representatives of various political and mass organizations have been maintained. Recently, notable visits include those to Vietnam by Cuban Politburo member and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz in October 2022 and Politburo member and Standing Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Roberto Morales Ojeda in April 2023, as well as other visits.
Several high-level delegations from Vietnam have visited Cuba, such as the delegation led by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue in April 2023; and the delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, which visited Cuba and attended the Group of 77 Summit with China in September 2023. Across all forums, Vietnam has consistently affirmed its demand for the lifting of unilateral sanctions against Cuba. This is something that Cuba highly appreciates.
The prominent role of Ho Chi Minh City
Another notable event was the opening of the Cuban Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City on August 3, 1982. Since then, the links between Cuban localities and Ho Chi Minh City have developed in many areas. We can affirm that Ho Chi Minh City and Cuba have continued to enrich their political relations, solidarity, and cooperation in several fields such as culture, education, health, construction, and agriculture.
Party and political relations are strengthened through dialogue established with exchanges of delegations from both sides. The successful visit to Cuba by the Vice Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and Chairwoman of the People's Council, Nguyen Thi Le, and the visit of the Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union this year are prime examples. Youth organizations in Ho Chi Minh City and Havana are implementing the Memorandum of Understanding on exchanging experiences and establishing friendly relations, signed in July 2022 in the Cuban capital.
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Cuban Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Ariadne Feo Labrada (center, top row), at the announcement and launch of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association, Liaison Committee of Veterans of Battalion 261 - Giron in Ho Chi Minh City, August 2023. |
People-to-people exchanges continue to be strengthened through the activities of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Representative Office, the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organizations (HUFO), and the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association of Ho Chi Minh City.
Several trade and investment promotion workshops have been jointly organized by the Cuban Consulate General, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, and the Investment and Trade Promotion Center (ITCP). Several Vietnamese companies based in Ho Chi Minh City maintain trade relations and investment projects in Cuba. Among them, Thai Binh Company is a pioneer in the field of trade and investment, with over 25 years of presence in the Cuban market.
Learning from Ho Chi Minh City's experiences in developing high-tech agriculture, food production, building materials, tourism, renewable energy use, attracting foreign direct investment, and many other fields is very important for Cuba. Furthermore, Ho Chi Minh City and the Cuban Consulate General also cooperate well in these areas.
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