NA Chairman’s trip marks new milestone in relations with Latin American countries: officials

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue delivers speech at a special plenary session of the 10th NA of the People’s Power of Cuba. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly Chairman VuongDinh Hue’s trip to Cuba, Argentina and Uruguay, from April 18-28, was a successas it opened up a new development period in relations between Vietnam and the threeLatin American nations, said Bui Van Cuong, NA Secretary General and Chairmanof the NA Office.

Sharing Cuong’s view, Vu Hai Ha, Chairman of the NACommittee for External Relations, highlighted the diverse and comprehensive contentsof the meetings within the trip.

Lai Xuan Mon, deputy head of the Party Central Committee’sCommission for Information and Education, said the Cuban side spoke highly of thevisit as well as NA Chairman Hue’s speech at a special plenary session of the10th NA of the People’s Power of Cuba.

The speech served as a source of encouragement forCuban officials, Party members and people to overcome challenges caused by theembargo to continue with the path towards socialism, he noted.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Thanh Tung said CubanParty and State leaders offered special rituals to NA Chairman Hue and his entourage,and the two sides shared the view that the bilateral relationship has become aninvaluable asset shared by the two nations.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue witnesses the signing a cooperation document between Vietnam and Argentina. (Photo: VNA)

Mai Thi Phuong Hoa, Vice Chairwoman of the NACommittee for Judicial Affairs, who is also President of the Vietnam-ArgentinaFriendship Parliamentarians’ Group and the Vietnam-Uruguay FriendshipParliamentarians’ Group, said the Vietnam-Uruguay Friendship Parliamentarians’Group, established on April 14, 2023, made its debut on this occasion.

This is an important parliamentary activity as ithelps parliamentarians exchange professional experience, while promoting parliamentarydiplomacy, she continued.

Regarding the trip’s outcomes in economic cooperation,Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi, who co-chairs the Vietnam-CubaInter-Governmental Committee, said the committee will work harder to enhance tradeties between the two countries, thus raising the bilateral trade to 500 millionUSD in the near future.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai,who co-chairs the Vietnam-Argentina Inter-Governmental Committee, emphasisedthat the NA Chairman’s visit reiterated Vietnam’s commitment to workingtogether with Argentina to advance the bilateral economic, trade and investmentties to a new height.

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (middle) and Gustavo Penadés, President of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and other delegates in a group photo. (Source: VNA)

For agriculture, the two sides continued looking intomarket opening for farm produce of each other, and cooperation potential infishery, he said, adding that new collaboration fields were proposed during thevisit like food safety, customs, science-technology, software, woodexploitation and processing, renewable energy, and innovation.

Following the trip, trade between Vietnam and Argentinaand Uruguay, especially Vietnam’s exports to the markets, is expected to make progress,the official said.

Asked about cooperation prospects between Vietnam andthe three countries, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc said “wecan be optimistic about cooperative relations with Cuba, Argentina and Uruguay.”

The sides displayed their determination, efforts andactions to materialise cooperation potential and opportunities, he explained.

Cuban and Argentine ambassadors to Vietnam also sharedthe view that the trip will exert profound and long-term impacts on cooperationbetween the Southeast Asian nation and the Latin American region./.

VNA