HCMC – Party General Secretary To Lam on September 1 presided over a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in honor of Cuban First Secretary and President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, who is on a state visit to Vietnam from August 31 to September 2.
The two leaders attended the flag-raising ceremony, reviewed the guard of honor of the Vietnam People’s Army, and observed a military parade. They later held talks and witnessed the signing and exchange of cooperation documents.
During his stay, the Cuban leader is set to meet with State President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, while also joining other activities, including the grand celebration of Vietnam’s 80th National Day.
Earlier in the day, President Diaz-Canel and his spouse Lis Cuesta Peraza laid a wreath and paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at the mausoleum.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang said Vietnam is currently Cuba’s second-largest trading partner and its biggest investor from the Asia-Pacific region.
Vietnam has provided practical support to Cuba in ensuring food security through rice, corn, and aquaculture cooperation projects, which have been recognized by the Cuban people and the international community.
Vietnam and Cuba established diplomatic relations on December 2, 1960. The first harvest in 2025 under a Vietnam-Cuba rice cultivation project reached 7.2 tons per hectare, 4.5 times higher than the local average.
Vietnam has also launched a nationwide campaign, “65 Years of Vietnam-Cuba Solidarity,” to raise donations for the Cuban people, attracting strong public support.
