Defense Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich made the statement while hosting outgoing Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres Rivera on November 25 at the Headquarters of the Ministry of National Defense.

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At the reception

At the reception, General Lich congratulated the ambassador on the excellent fulfillment of her missions and highlighted her contributions to strengthening relations between the two countries in general and two militaries in particular.

Lich expressed his belief that the senior diplomat will well perform her new assignment and will continue contributing to consolidating relations between the two countries and two militaries in an intensive, effective, and practical manner.

The Vietnamese Defense Minister expressed delight at the positive development of the Vietnam-Cuba relationship, which was established by Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Fidel Castro and nurtured by generations of leaders of the two Parties, States, Armies, and peoples.

On the occasion, General Lich recalled the valuable assistance of the Cuban Party, State, people, and the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces to Vietnam in preventing the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past time, Cuba has presented thousands of doses of medicines and sent its experienced medical personnel to help Vietnam combat the disease.

At the meeting, the two sides highly appreciated the bilateral defense cooperation, saying that it has become a pillar in Vietnam-Cuba relationship and contributed to firmly safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity of each country.

Regarding the celebration of 60 years of Vietnam-Cuba diplomatic relations, General Lich said that the Vietnamese and Cuba Defense Ministries will release books and a documentary film featuring the history of Vietnam-Cuba defense relations over the past 60 years. These books aim to highlight the relationship between the two militaries and educate young Vietnamese and Cuban generations about the special friendship between the two countries and two militaries.

For her part, Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres Rivera highly valued the mutual trust and sentiments of one nation for the other over the past 60 years and thanked the Vietnamese Defense Ministry for its support during her term of office in Vietnam. She highlighted Vietnamese people’s indomitable spirit, diligence, and creativeness.

The diplomat said that amid the complicated development of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam remains one of a few safe places in the world. She affirmed that she will try her best to strengthen the relationship between the two countries in general and two militaries in particular no matter what assignment she will undertake in the future.

Translated by Tran Hoai