The talks took place right after a welcome ceremony chaired by the NA Chairman for the top legislator of Cuba.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (R) and President of the National Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez.

Man highlighted the significance of regular mutual visits by the two countries’ senior officials in continuing to consolidate and develop the special solidarity between Vietnam and Cuba.

He expressed gratitude to the Party, State, National Assembly and people of Cuba for their deep sentiments to late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, and thanked Esteban Lazo for leading a high-ranking delegation of the Party and State of Cuba to attend the national funeral of the late Party chief in July.

Man affirmed that after 64 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the solidarity and close relationship between Vietnam and Cuba, nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh and leader Fidel Castro, has continuously developed, becoming a model in international relations.

The Party, State and people of Vietnam treasure and are determined to further deepen the special, exemplary and faithful relationship between Vietnam and Cuba on channels and across all fields, while working together with Cuban people to maintain, develop, and pass on to next generations.

Esteban Lazo, for his part, expressed his joy to return to visit Vietnam and meet Chairman Man again, saying that the special traditional friendship between the two countries has been constantly consolidated and strengthened on all channels of Party, State, as well in parliamentary cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

The top legislator of Cuba thanked the Party, State and people of Vietnam for presenting 10,000 tonnes of rice to Cuba, emphasising this is the timely sharing in the context that Cuba is facing a food and energy crisis.

He stated that the two countries’ special relationship has seen many positive developments after the state visit to Cuba by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in September. During this visit, the two sides issued a Joint Statement between Vietnam and Cuba with the determination to continue strongly developing bilateral ties to a new height that is more comprehensive, substantive, effective and sustainable, in the spirit of cooperation, development for the cause of socialism development and building, for the benefit of the two countries’ people, and for peace, cooperation and development in each region and the world.

He also expressed his joy to see that Vietnam continues to be a major investor in Cuba in the fields of energy and tourism. He said hopes that the Southeast Asian nation supports Cuba in developing renewable energy; and suggested that Vietnam share its law-making experiences, especially in the context that Cuba is building an enterprise law.

The guest said the two sides should promote exchanges and cooperation between localities and friendly parliamentarians groups, coordinate to prepare for the organisation of the second session of the Vietnam - Cuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in order to share experiences in building and fine-tuning policies and laws, and promote bilateral cooperation in various fields such as economy, finance, investment, energy, science and technology.

Both top legislators showed their delight at the development of the two countries’ parliaments with high-level visits and important cooperative activities, deepening the relationship between the two legislatures, and contributing to consolidating and strengthening the special, exemplary and faithful relationship between Vietnam and Cuba.

To realise the cooperation protocol signed between the two legislative bodies in April last year, the first session of the Vietnam - Cuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, co-chaired by President Esteban Lazo Hernandez and Vice NA Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai, took place in September, with results recognised by both countries' senior leaders and included in the Vietnam-Cuba Joint Statement. This reaffirmed the two legislatures’ determination in further deepening relations between the two countries through parliamentary cooperation channels.

To continue promoting the good results of the first session of the Vietnam - Cuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in the spirit of the signed cooperation protocol, Man stated that the Vietnamese NA wishes to continue strengthening cooperation with the Cuban NA with new and more extensive cooperation contents and mechanisms.

Specifically, the two NAs continue to exchange their all-level delegations, committees and deputies, and friendly parliamentarians groups to share professional experiences in law-making, supervision and decision-making on important matters of the country, while enhancing information exchange and experience sharing in direct or online forms on holding parliament activities, building and perfecting institutions and legal systems in areas of mutual interest.

The two NA leaders agreed that it is necessary to continue promoting the role of the two legislatures through studying the possibility of coordination to supervise to effectively implement high-level cooperation documents and agreements agreement between the two countries.

Man proposed the two sides coordinate at multilateral international forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and other multilateral parliamentary organisations of which the two sides are members; support each other's stances on regional and international issues of shared concern. They also agreed to hold the second session of the Vietnam - Cuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in Vietnam next year.

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