Havana (VNA) – The Cuban leaders spoke highly of Ho Chi Minh City’s developmentexperience while meeting with Chairman of the municipal People’s CommitteeNguyen Thanh Phong, who visited the Latin American country from May 31 to June7.

During talks with President of the Commission on International Relations of theCuban National Assembly Yolanda Ferrer Gomez, Phong introduced his host to therole of HCM City in Vietnam’s development, especially in economy, as well asthe city’s special mechanisms and achievements in managemetn of development materials andbudget, administration decentralisation and improvement of people’sliving standards.

He showed his respect for the Cuban people’s valuable sentiments andwholehearted assistance to Vietnam.

Potential for collaboration between the two countries remains huge, he said,adding that HCM City is the first locality in Vietnam to realise the outcomesof a recent visit to Cuba by General Secretary of the Communist Party ofVietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong.
  
After recallingher impressions on the development of Vietnam during her recent visit, YolandaFerrer, who is also President of the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association,appreciated the Southeast Asian nation’s experience in developing and operatingthe National Assembly together with the system of people’s councils and people’scommittees at all levels.

She affirmed the Cuban leaders’ determination to make necessary and suitablechanges in the pursuit of the supreme goal of building socialism.

At aninformal meeting on the sidelines of the talks with the HCM City delegation, President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez said Vietnam’sexperience in development in general and legislation in particular is useful for the CubanState and National Assembly to make decisions.

Meanwhile, Vice President of the Cuban Council of Ministers Ricarddo CabrisasRuiz briefed his guest on the recent achievements Cuba has made in its socio-economicmodel update. The two sides reviewed potential areas for trade and investmentcollaboration.

The HCM City mayor had a meeting with President of the Havana Assembly of People's Power Reynaldo Garcia Zapata to share development experience. He alsopresented 50,000 USD to help Havana and other Cuban localities overcome lossescaused by recent prolonged floods.

During their stay in Cuba, the HCM City delegation had working sessions withthe Department for External Relations of the Cuban Communist Party CentralCommittee, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment and the Ministry ofTourism.

They attended a Vietnam-Cuba investment-trade-tourism promotion conference,visited the Mariel special economic zone, and laid wreaths at the statues ofCuban national hero Jose Marti and President Ho Chi Minh in Havana.-VNA