Vietnam-Cuba: 65 years of partnership and development
WVR - The year 2025 has been designated by both countries as the “Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Year”, featuring a series of political, cultural, economic, and people-to-people activities to commemorate 65 years of diplomatic relations (2/12/1960 - 2/12/2025).
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Rooted in the ideologies of President Ho Chi Minh and Hero José Martí, the two nations, despite geographical distance and differences in language and culture, are united by the aspiration for independence, freedom, and revolutionary ideals. Sixty-five years is not just a timeline but a symbol of rare, loyal friendship in the history of international relations.
Solidarity in nation building and safeguarding
During the war years, Cuba stood by Vietnam with both words and actions. The immortal declaration of Leader Fidel Castro “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its blood” has deeply resonated with the people of both nations. Cuba was the first country in the Western Hemisphere to establish diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, recognize the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, and form a solidarity committee with Vietnam. From Havana, news and movements supporting Vietnam spread across Latin America, igniting the flame of solidarity with the Vietnamese people. The image of Fidel Castro visiting the newly liberated Quang Tri in 1973 remains a symbol of noble international solidarity.
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba and the Dominican Republic Le Quang Long. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba) |
Despite being under siege and embargo, Cuba generously provided Vietnam with hundreds of thousands of tons of goods, foreign currency, and equipment, aiding Vietnam's post-war reconstruction with five socio-economic projects that remain effective to this day. Just a year after establishing relations, the first 23 Vietnamese youths went to Cuba to study Spanish, marking the beginning of a cooperative journey training thousands of Vietnamese engineers, doctors, and graduates.
After the war, despite many difficulties, Vietnam shared and provided food, goods, and technical assistance to help Cuba overcome the “special period” and accompany its socio-economic model updates. The tradition of “sharing what we have” was reaffirmed during the COVID-19 pandemic and recently in the Movement to Support the Cuban People initiated by the Vietnam Red Cross, with more than 2 million Vietnamese citizens and businesses participating. These acts are not only humanitarian but also convey a message of trust, empathy, and international responsibility between the two brotherly nations.
With the spirit of “brotherly solidarity”, “comprehensive cooperation”, and “mutual trust”, the two countries have always maintained extensive and sincere exchanges on development experiences, turning revolutionary sentiments into practical cooperation strength.
Comprehensive and sustainable cooperation
Over 65 years, Vietnam-Cuba relations have been continuously strengthened and expanded in all fields. The two countries maintain high-level delegation exchanges, sign numerous cooperation agreements in economics, trade, agriculture, livestock, healthcare, defense, security, culture, education, inter-parliamentary cooperation, and local cooperation; while striving to overcome difficulties and create a favorable environment for bilateral projects.
State visits by General Secretary, President To Lam (9/2024) and First Secretary, President Miguel Díaz-Canel (9/2025) usher in a new development phase: political, defense, and security relations as the foundation, economic-trade-investment cooperation as the driving force, local cooperation and people-to-people exchanges as the bridge, expanding into renewable energy, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and tourism – aiming for practical effectiveness for the benefit of the people of both countries.
Vietnam is currently Cuba's second-largest trading partner in Asia and the largest foreign investor in the region in Cuba, with notable projects by Viglacera, Thai Binh, and Agri VMA in the Mariel Development Zone. Increasingly, Vietnamese businesses are interested in the investment environment in Cuba.
In agriculture, a strategic cooperation field, Vietnam supports Cuba in rice and corn cultivation and technology transfer, contributing to food security. The rice development cooperation project (2002 - 2025) has yielded clear results, enhancing productivity and continuing to sow the “golden seeds of cooperation” in the new phase, supporting Cuba in implementing its Food Sovereignty Strategy.
Projects and cooperation programs in biotechnology in pharmaceuticals and agriculture, combining Cuba's scientific strengths with Vietnam's industrial capabilities, are actively being implemented and promise new practical and deeply humanitarian cooperation directions.
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| First Secretary, President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez converses with Ambassador Le Quang Long at the 50th Anniversary of Southern Liberation and National Reunification organized by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba at the Palace of the Revolution, Havana, April 29, 2025. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba) |
Solidarity on the international stage
Vietnam and Cuba have always closely coordinated at international forums, particularly at the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement. Vietnam consistently supports Cuba's call for lifting unilateral embargoes and removing Cuba from the list of “state sponsors of terrorism”. Cuba always supports Vietnam in international mechanisms, while both sides coordinate on Cuba's accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) and candidacy for the United Nations Human Rights Council.
In the new era, Vietnam and Cuba both consider nurturing the younger generation and fostering friendship between the youth of the two countries as a key task to inherit and develop the special relationship between the two nations. During the Friendship Year 2025, numerous vibrant exchange activities are organized, such as drawing and writing contests, youth festivals, and the Vietnam-Cuba Youth Network for Peace and Sustainable Development.
With the connection of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba, the visit to Da Nang by students from Nguyen Van Troi School (Havana) left a touching impression, helping them understand more about Vietnam's land, people, and culture. This is a vivid testament to the vitality of the relationship being continued and promoted by the younger generation.
Besides cooperation between ministries, sectors, and central organizations, exchanges and connections between localities of the two countries are increasingly strengthened, contributing to deepening and substantiating the friendship. Hanoi and Havana, Binh Duong and Artemisa, Dong Nai and Pinar del Río, along with many other localities, have established cooperative relations, exchanged delegations, and shared experiences in urban management, industrial development, agriculture, education, culture, and youth exchanges.
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| Ambassador Le Quang Long (second from left) visits a rice field under a cooperation project between the two sides in Cuba. (Source: VNA) |
A shining symbol of the 21st century
Over 65 years, the Vietnam-Cuba friendship has demonstrated the vibrant vitality of a relationship built on ideals, trust, and action.
During each working session and visit to agencies, organizations, and localities in Cuba, the Ambassador and Embassy staff are warmly welcomed with sincere affirmations of the brotherly relationship between the two countries. Cuban leaders, officials, and many citizens express joy and pride in Vietnam's achievements, seeing them as an encouragement for their own renewal journey.
In a world of change, Vietnam and Cuba continue to accompany, share, and assist each other like two blood brothers. With a solid foundation, the wise leadership of the two Parties, and the continuation of the younger generation, Vietnam-Cuba relations will undoubtedly grow stronger, becoming a shining symbol of international friendship in the 21st century.
