Hanoi (VNA) – General Secretary of the CommunistParty of Vietnam and President Nguyen Phu Trong and President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers ofCuba Miguel Mario Diaz Canel Bermudez reached consensus on measures to improvethe efficiency and sustainability of cooperation between the two countriesduring their talks in Hanoi on November 11.

The Vietnamese leader said at a joint press conference followingtheir talks that the bilateral political ties are developing fruitfully withhigh mutual trust, as seen through the regular exchange of delegations at alllevels through all channels of the Party, State, Government and NationalAssembly, as well as people-to-people exchange.

Cooperation mechanisms between the two countries’ governments,ministries and sectors have been maintained and proven their efficiency withdiverse activities, he said.

He informed the press that the two sides had committed to continuingtheir close and comprehensive cooperation, and making efforts to consolidateand deepen their model fraternity, traditional friendship, comprehensivecooperation and loyal solidarity.

Host and guest compared notes on measures to deepen economic,trade and investment ties in an effective and practical manner, intensify thepartnership in national defence-security and external affairs, and step upaffiliation in agriculture, bio-technology, pharmaceutical products, healthcare, science-technology and exchange between citizens.

Regarding regional and international issues of sharedconcern, both sides expressed their support for the settlement of sovereigntydisputes by peaceful measures on the basis of respect for international law.

Vietnamand Cubaaffirmed that they will bolster collaboration at multilateral organisations andforums, especially the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Forumfor East Asia-Latin America Cooperation.

Party General Secretary and President Trong said he firmlybelieves that the good results of President Miguel Marino Diaz Canel’s visit willcreate a new momentum to lift the Vietnam-Cuba special relationship to a newhigh, meeting the aspiration and interests of people of both sides, andcontributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development inthe region and the world as well.

Meanwhile, President Miguel Marino Diaz Canel expressed hishope that the two sides will continue to exchange experience in socialismbuilding, and that the reached agreements will be materialised through specificcooperation projects, thus bringing practical benefits to both sides.

He affirmed that current and future generations of the twocountries will always be loyal to the thoughts of Presidents Ho Chi Minh andFidel Castro, and promote the friendship between the two nations.

Lauding the close cooperation between the two countries atinternational and multilateral forums, the President thanked Vietnam for itssupport to Cuba in the struggle for ending the embargo against the country.

The Cuban President affirmed that the Vietnam-Cubarelationship is a special one, both at present and in the future, citing PresidentFidel Castro’s immortal statement: “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed itsblood.”

Following their talks, the leaders witnessed the signing ofa number of cooperation documents between the two countries, including a tradeagreement and a financial protocol on implementing the cooperation project onrice production during the 2019-2023 period.

Earlier the same day, Party General Secretary and PresidentTrong presented the Ho Chi Minh Order – a noble award of the Vietnamese Partyand State – to President Miguel Marino Diaz Canel in recognition of his outstandingcontributions to the solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperationbetween Vietnam and Cuba. -VNA