Further strengthen and develop the special traditional solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Cuba.

At the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, President of the National Assembly of the People's Government, President of the Council of State of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández paid an official visit to Vietnam and co-chaired the 2nd meeting of the Vietnam - Cuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee from September 30 to October 5. The visit is of great significance, contributing to consolidating and further developing the traditional relations, special friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba, while opening up prospects for cooperation in many fields.

Parliamentary cooperation is a bright spot

Visit of the President of the National Assembly of People's Power, President of the Council of State of Cuba (Chairman of the National Assembly) Esteban Lazo Hernández is an important event in the "Vietnam - Cuba Friendship Year 2025".

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Cuban National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernández at the Vietnamese National Assembly on November 2, 2024. Photo: Lam Hien

Over the past 65 years, the traditional relationship, special friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba have been continuously strengthened and developed in many fields. The two sides have maintained delegation exchanges and high-level contacts, including the State visit to Cuba by General Secretary and President To Lam in September 2024, which created a historic milestone in the relationship between the two countries. In early September this year, First Secretary and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz Canel paid a State visit to Vietnam to attend the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2.

During the Vietnam - Cuba Friendship Year 2025, bilateral cooperation in all fields has been promoted, especially in politics - diplomacy, defense, security, agriculture, energy, biotechnology... The two sides regularly and effectively implemented consultation and cooperation mechanisms such as: Theoretical Workshop between the two Parties, Intergovernmental Committee, Inter-Parliamentary Committee, Political Consultation between the two Foreign Ministries... Vietnam continues to actively support Cuba in food security through providing preferential credit for Cuba to buy Vietnamese rice, implementing cooperation projects on training in rice production, hybrid corn varieties, aquaculture... as well as surveying the construction of a solar energy complex to help Cuba. The two sides continue to closely coordinate and support each other at international organizations and multilateral forums, especially at the United Nations.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man welcomed Cuban National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernández for talks within the framework of his working visit to Vietnam on November 2, 2024. Photo: Lam Hien

The two countries’ National Assemblies maintain a close and substantive friendship and cooperation. Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Quang Long assessed that National Assembly cooperation has always been a bright spot in bilateral relations over the years and has a very important complementary nature to the relationship between the two Parties and the two States.

The two National Assemblies maintain regular visits and contacts at high levels as well as at the professional committee level. Delegations of the Vietnamese National Assembly have visited Cuba many times and participated in international parliamentary activities in Cuba, while the Cuban National Assembly also regularly sends delegations to attend conferences and seminars in Vietnam and in the Asian region. The agencies of the two National Assemblies have many activities to exchange information and professional experience in building and perfecting institutions and policies. The two National Assemblies always support each other at multilateral parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), etc.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Cuban National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernández held talks during their working visit to Vietnam on November 2, 2024. Photo: Lam Hien

In late 2024, President of the Cuban National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernández paid a working visit to Vietnam. During the visit, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernández highly appreciated the good development in the relationship between the two countries' legislative bodies with high-level visits and important cooperation activities, bringing the relationship between the two countries' National Assemblies into depth and effectiveness; actively and substantially contributing to consolidating and strengthening the special, exemplary, and loyal solidarity between Vietnam and Cuba.

Most recently, during his visit to the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, Switzerland (July 2025), National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with Cuban National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernández. The two National Assembly Chairmen emphasized the need to increase delegation exchanges and contacts at all levels, especially at high levels, and to regularly maintain and improve the effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms to exchange and share information and experience in areas of strength for each side, making cooperation between the two National Assemblies an important channel in bilateral relations.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man introduced to Cuban National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernández some images of the relationship between the two countries and the two National Assemblies during the Cuban National Assembly Chairman's working visit to Vietnam (November 2, 2024). Photo: Lam Hien

In particular, the Vietnam - Cuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee was established in April 2023 and held its first meeting in September 2024 in Havana. The contents discussed within the framework of the first meeting of this Committee are aimed at creating a more open legal corridor, supporting businesses of the two countries to exploit the potential for economic - trade, investment, energy, health and biotechnology cooperation. The two sides also agreed to coordinate in studying a common monitoring mechanism for the implementation of bilateral agreements, to ensure that cooperation documents are effectively implemented. This approach shows the desire, determination, initiative and creativity of the National Assemblies of the two countries in accompanying the Governments and business communities of the two countries, promoting the role of parliamentary cooperation in promoting and bringing the special Vietnam - Cuba relationship into deeper and more sustainable depth.

Although this is a new cooperation mechanism between the two countries, according to Ambassador Le Quang Long, the Vietnam - Cuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee has quickly demonstrated its effectiveness and important role in the overall relationship between the two countries. The importance of this mechanism has also been emphasized and highly appreciated by General Secretary To Lam and First Secretary and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz - Canel Bermudez in the Vietnam - Cuba Joint Statement (September 2025). In the Joint Statement, the two leaders also agreed to focus on coordination between the two National Assemblies, strengthen cooperation to perfect the legal system, create a legal corridor for bilateral economic, trade and investment activities, and promote the sustainable implementation of bilateral agreements.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with Cuban National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo on July 30, as part of his trip to attend the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo: Doan Tan - VNA

Opening up prospects for substantive cooperation in many fields

Taking place right after the State visit to Vietnam of First Secretary and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz - Canel Bermúdez and during the Vietnam - Cuba Friendship Year 2025, the visit of President of the Cuban National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernández demonstrates the desire of both sides to maintain high-level contacts, consolidate political trust, strengthen relations and promote the effective implementation of high-level agreements between the two countries, especially in the fields of agriculture, energy, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology; comprehensively and substantially deploy the Party's foreign relations channels, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy, the pillars of relations in politics - diplomacy, defense - security, economy, trade, investment, culture, education and people-to-people exchange.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with Cuban National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo on July 30, as part of his visit to the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, Switzerland.

The visit affirms the consistent policy of the Party, State and people of Vietnam to constantly consolidate and strengthen the traditional solidarity, special friendship, comprehensive cooperation and strong support for the revolutionary cause of the Party, State and people of Cuba. Vietnam always cherishes the legacy of the relationship between the two countries and is ready to support and assist Cuba to the best of its ability. At the same time, Vietnam wishes to closely coordinate and effectively implement new cooperation methods and models under the motto "joint development", thereby bringing the cooperation between the two countries to develop comprehensively and sustainably, on par with the good political relationship.

During the visit, the Cuban National Assembly Chairman is expected to meet with General Secretary To Lam, President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh; hold talks and, together with National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, co-chair the second meeting of the Vietnam - Cuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee. The Cuban National Assembly Chairman will also visit and work in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hung Yen, learning about development experiences in the fields of biotechnology, clean energy, telecommunications, and high-tech agriculture. According to Ambassador Le Quang Long, the working program has shown the great desire of the two countries' leaders to expand and deepen parliamentary cooperation, while connecting with the fields of economics, trade, investment, science and technology - key pillars for the sustainable development of Vietnam - Cuba relations in the new period.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with Cuban National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo on July 30, as part of his visit to the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, Switzerland.

With a special political foundation, mutual trust and the spirit of solidarity between Vietnam and Cuba, the visit of National Assembly President Esteban Lazo Hernández will be an important milestone in the relationship between the two countries, contributing to opening up prospects for substantive cooperation in many fields, from parliament, politics to economics, trade, science - technology, and high-tech agriculture.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/supply-and-develop-a-more-solidarity-forging-a-new-traditional-communication-special-viet-nam-cuba-10388407.html