Vietnam, Cuba to boost defense cooperation

Senior Lieutenant General Luong Cuong, member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam, permanent member of the Central Military Commission, and Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army made the statement at the reception for the visiting high-ranking Cuban military delegation, led by Senior Lieutenant General Leopoldo Cintra Frias, Cuban Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces on March 27 in Hanoi.  

Senior Lieutenant General Luong Cuong (L) and Senior Lieutenant General Leopoldo Cintra Frias

The host warmly welcomed the Cuban delegation and expressed his delight at recent developments in Vietnam-Cuba relations in general and ties between the two countries’ armed forces in particular.  

For his part, Senior Lieutenant General Leopoldo Cintra Frias briefed General Cuong on the outcomes of the meetings with leaders of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense and Vietnamese military units and thanked the Vietnamese side for the warm reception.

The two sides agreed that in the coming time Vietnam and Cuba should further promote their cooperation in Party and political work and pay attention to educating the current young generation and the following generations about the traditional friendship so that they will preserve and bring into play the two countries’ achievements in their long-standing relationship.

The same day, Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang, member of the Party Central Committee, permanent member of the Central Military Commission, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Minister of National Defense received the Cuban delegation.

The Vietnamese general affirmed the importance of the visit, which practically, effectively and sustainably promoted Vietnam-Cuba defense cooperation, contributing to strengthening the pure traditional friendship between the two countries and militaries. The Chief of the General Staff stressed that in the coming time Vietnamese military units will actively realize cooperation agreements reached by Minister of Cuban Armed Forces Leopoldo Cintra Frias and Vietnamese Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich.

The host also thanked the Cuban side for creating the most favorable conditions for Vietnamese officers and cadets to study in the country and believed in the further development of the two countries’ defense cooperation in the time to come.