Hanoi, October 1, 2025 – The Europe Today: State President Lương Cường on Tuesday met with Esteban Lazo Hernandez, President of the National Assembly of People’s Power and President of the Council of State of Cuba, who is on an official visit to Việtnam until October 5 to co-chair the second session of the Việtnam–Cuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee.
President Cường warmly welcomed Esteban Lazo’s return to Việtnam, following the recent state visit of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez. He stressed the importance of the Cuban delegation’s visit, expressing confidence that it would further reinforce the traditional solidarity, special friendship, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.
The Vietnamese leader expressed appreciation to Cuban authorities for hosting solemn celebrations of Việt Nam’s major anniversaries, highlighting that bilateral political and diplomatic relations through Party, State, and people-to-people channels have reached new heights and serve as a model of international solidarity. He reaffirmed Việt Nam’s determination to deepen cooperation with Cuba across all sectors, particularly trade and investment, with the aim of elevating economic ties to match the two countries’ unique relationship, especially ahead of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations in December 2025.
For his part, Esteban Lazo conveyed condolences from the Cuban leadership and people to Việt Nam over the recent severe storms, expressing confidence that the country would quickly recover. He thanked President Cường and the Vietnamese people for their warm reception, congratulated Việt Nam on the successful celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day, and voiced belief that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, the country would achieve its development goals for 2030 and 2045.
The Cuban legislator also expressed deep gratitude for Việt Nam’s nationwide campaign “65 Years of Việt Nam–Cuba Solidarity” in support of the Cuban people, describing it as a testament to the faithful and enduring friendship between the two nations. He reaffirmed Cuba’s appreciation for Việt Nam’s solidarity and assistance in difficult times.
Both leaders hailed the exemplary relationship established by President Hồ Chí Minh and Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro and nurtured by successive generations. They recalled the recent visits by Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm to Cuba in September 2024 and by President Diaz-Canel to Việt Nam earlier this month, which consolidated political trust and opened new opportunities in trade, investment, and economic cooperation.
The two sides pledged to closely monitor and direct the effective implementation of bilateral commitments, particularly in food and energy security, biotechnology, and other priority areas. President Cường noted the growing cooperation between the two legislatures, affirming Việt Nam’s readiness to share its nearly four decades of reform and international integration experience to support Cuba’s development.
Esteban Lazo confirmed that the Cuban National Assembly will continue fostering close ties with its Vietnamese counterpart, promote high-level exchanges, encourage youth engagement, and facilitate Vietnamese businesses operating in Cuba. He stressed that Cuba views Việt Nam’s development experience as a valuable source of inspiration.
On this occasion, President Cường asked Esteban Lazo to convey his greetings to Revolutionary Leader Raul Castro, President Diaz-Canel, and other Cuban leaders. In return, Esteban Lazo delivered an invitation from President Diaz-Canel for President Cường to visit Cuba at a convenient time, which the Vietnamese leader accepted with pleasure.
