President attends the opening ceremony of the Vietnam-Cuba Business Forum

The President believes that with the determination and efforts of both sides, economic, trade, investment cooperation... between the two countries will be increasingly strengthened.

On November 17 (local time), in the capital city of Havana, Cuba, President Tran Dai Quang attended the Vietnam-Cuba Business Forum organized by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in coordination with the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba and the Cuban Chamber of Commerce.

President Tran Dai Quang speaks at the Vietnam - Cuba Business Forum.

Notably, political relations have been increasingly consolidated and enhanced, and bilateral cooperation mechanisms have been operating regularly and more effectively. Two-way trade turnover has averaged over 200 million USD since 2012, and 218 million USD in 2015. Speaking to the business communities of the two countries, President Tran Dai Quang expressed his delight at the fact that the fraternal solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba has continued to be consolidated and developed positively in recent times.

Projects in which Vietnam cooperates and supports Cuba, such as family-scale rice production, corn and soybean production, and aquaculture, are being implemented effectively. In particular, a number of Vietnamese enterprises are promoting investment projects in tourism infrastructure construction, construction material production, detergent powder, oil and gas, and telecommunications in Cuba.

The President said that immediately after this visit, the two countries' Intergovernmental Committee on Economic-Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation will hold its 34th Annual Meeting in Havana to review the implementation of the results of the 33rd Meeting held last year in Hanoi, thereby determining the goals and specific cooperation programs and projects in various fields in the coming time.

President Tran Dai Quang said: “In that context, President Raul Castro and I on this occasion agreed to affirm our determination to continue to deepen the special relationship between the two Parties, two States and peoples, striving to gradually bring bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation to the level of the good political relationship between the two countries.

We agreed to maintain regular and flexible cooperation and continue to improve the effectiveness of the intergovernmental committee mechanism on economic-trade and scientific-technical cooperation; perfect the bilateral legal corridor, including actively negotiating and soon signing a new Trade Agreement, replacing the Agreement signed in 1996, ensuring conformity with the new situation and effectively exploiting the potential and advantages of cooperation of both countries.

The President affirmed that the two sides also agreed to continue creating favorable conditions for businesses of the two countries to access the market, implement contracts and cooperation projects, especially the early realization of Vietnam's investment projects in the Marien Special Economic Zone; at the same time, support businesses of the two countries to implement cooperation and investment projects in the fields of agriculture, infrastructure construction, tourism, construction materials production, consumer goods, energy, new generation biopharmaceutical products, finance - banking, as well as in other fields where the two sides have strengths and can complement each other.

Vietnam - Cuba Business Forum.

President Tran Dai Quang emphasized: “The Party, State and people of the two countries always expect and wish that Vietnamese and Cuban enterprises continue to promote the spirit of initiative and creativity, and be sensitive to seize new opportunities and chances to effectively exploit the great potential for economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries; at the same time, support each other to access and penetrate the markets of the two regions of Southeast Asia and Latin America - Caribbean...

Actively contribute to developing the economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba in a deeper, more practical and effective manner, further enriching the special traditional friendship, which has become a priceless asset of our two peoples.

The President deeply believes that, with the determination and efforts of both sides, the economic, trade, investment cooperation... between the two countries will certainly be increasingly consolidated and enhanced, effectively serving the cause of building socialism and defending the Fatherland in each country. The President also wished Cuban and Vietnamese businesses to continue to develop strongly, cooperate with each other more closely and effectively and reap many successes./.

According to VOV