Viet Nam, Cuba issue joint statement

The following is a translation of the joint statement.

VIETNAM - CUBA JOINT STATEMENT

1. At the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of the Republic of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez and a high-ranking delegation of the Party, State and Government of Cuba paid a state visit to the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam from August 31 to September 2, 2025.

During the visit, First Secretary and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez held talks with Party General Secretary To Lam, met with Politburo members State President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, and attended the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945 - August 19, 2025) and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2025).

First Secretary and President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez and the high-ranking delegation of the Cuban Party and State attended a ceremony celebrating the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Cuba (December 2, 1960 - December 2, 2025), and a photo exhibition themed "65 years of the special friendship between Viet Nam and Cuba", events that demonstrate the exemplary and unique relationship between the two Parties, the two States and the peoples of Viet Nam and Cuba.

First Secretary and President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez laid a wreath in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh, offered flowers at the monument to Cuban national hero Jose Marti; visited the Viet Nam Military History Museum and laid flowers at a monument to Cuban military experts; met with representatives of the Vietnamese business community; and had a sincere and emotional meeting with the leaders of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations, the Standing Committee of the Viet Nam - Cuba Friendship Association and the Club of Vietnamese Alumni in Cuba.

2. At the talks, Party General Secretary To Lam and First Secretary and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez highly valued the outcomes of the state visit to Viet Nam by the First Secretary and President of Cuba, calling the visit an important milestone in the history of relations between the two Parties, the two States and the two peoples, helping reinforce and tighten the traditional solidarity, special friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Cuba to develop substantively and sustainably in the new period, for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries, for socialism, and for peace, cooperation and development in each region and in the world.

The two leaders reaffirmed the historical significance, precious heritage value and great cooperative achievements of the Viet Nam - Cuba relationship over the past 65 years; and vowed the determination to jointly promote the relationship, established by President Ho Chi Minh and Cuban Revolutionary Leader Fidel Castro Ruz and nurtured by generations of the two countries' leaders and people, and to continuously improve the effectiveness of the comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Cuba commensurate with the potential and level of sound political relations between the two countries.

The visit demonstrated the high importance and priority both sides give to the top strategic relationship, affirming the spirit of international solidarity, consistent support and the desire to continue to cooperate and develop together between Viet Nam and Cuba in the new period.

3. On behalf of the Party, State and people of Cuba, Comrade Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez expressed his particular delight to visit Viet Nam again and respectfully conveyed his warmest congratulations to the Party, State and people of Viet Nam on the 80th anniversary of the success of the August Revolution and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, along with the enormous achievements of historic significance that the Vietnamese people have obtained under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam during nearly 40 years of Doi moi (Renewal) and international integration, bringing Viet Nam's fortune, stature and international prestige to unprecedented heights.

First Secretary and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez highly valued and expressed his belief that the Vietnamese people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam headed by Party General Secretary To Lam, will join hands and be united in implementing the revolutionary strategic policies, successfully organising the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, and creating new historic opportunities so that Viet Nam will firmly advance to a new era of development, an era of the nation's rise.

4. The Vietnamese side offered warm congratulations on the 67th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution and the important achievements that the Party, State and people of Cuba have gained in implementing the resolutions of the 8th National Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, the national socio-economic development plan until 2030, the important decisions made at the 10th National Assembly and the meetings of the 8th Party Central Committee and, especially, the positive results in handling socio-economic challenges and implementing the update of the socialist socio-economic model, believing that Cuba will successfully organise the 9th National Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba from April 16 to April 19, 2026.

Viet Nam reaffirmed its consistent solidarity and steadfast support for the creative efforts by the Party, State and people of Cuba to overcome current difficulties and challenges; pledged the readiness to continue to accompany and do its utmost within its capacity to unite, support and cooperate with Cuba; believed that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba, the direction of Revolutionary Leader General Raul Castro Ruz and First Secretary and President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, the Party, State and people of Cuba will continuously consolidate national solidarity, safeguard the noble revolutionary goals of the Communist Party of Cuba, play a worthy role in the common struggle in the region and the world, for national independence, democracy, equality, and social progress and justice.

5. The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the sound development of the Viet Nam - Cuba relationship and cooperation at all levels and in all fields, especially in implementing the agreements between the high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and the two States during the state visit to Cuba by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in September 2024; welcomed the initial positive results in the strategic cooperation between the two countries, notably the pilot rice cultivation models, the solar energy complex project in Cuba and the establishment of a joint venture in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector.

The two sides pledged to support, create favourable conditions and encourage the development of new cooperation models appropriate to the situation and strengths of research organisations, training institutions and enterprises; expand the presence and participation of the two countries' organisations and enterprises in the socio-economic development process of Viet Nam and Cuba, especially in strategic cooperation areas with great potential such as agriculture and agricultural processing, new energy, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and other potential cooperation areas.

6. The two countries reaffirmed that the relationship between the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) and the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC) serves as the foundation and strategic orientation for bilateral cooperation.
They agreed on the importance of enhancing high-level Party-to-Party exchanges, theoretical workshops, and both in-person and online dialogues between the advisory bodies of the two Parties. They also supported practical study visits and experience-sharing programmes on socio-economic development in Viet Nam for Cuban officials at the deputy ministerial level and equivalent, as well as exchanges between their youth unions and people's organisations. Additionally, both sides welcomed initiatives aimed at sharing experience and lessons learned in advancing the socialist construction process in both countries.
The two sides agreed to enhance the efficiency of existing cooperation mechanisms and to implement the Exchange and Cooperation Agreement between the CPV and the CPC for 2023-2028. They also committed to deepening collaboration between the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and the Ñico López Party University, between the CPV Central Committee's Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation and the CPC Central Committee's Ideology Commission, between Communist Review and Cuba Socialista, and between the CPV Central Committee's Policy and Strategy Commission and the CPC Central Committee's Economic and Production Commission, including an online exchange scheduled for 2025.

The two sides consented to jointly hold the seventh theoretical workshop between the two Parties and the third scientific conference entitled “Fidel Castro Ho Chi Minh: Revolutionary Vision” in 2026, on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. They also agreed to further exchange information, documents and curricula, and coordinate in researching and promoting the thoughts of Ho Chi Minh and Fidel Castro in each country.

Viet Nam and Cuba also pledged to coordinate positions and activities within multilateral forums and mechanisms of political parties and progressive forces, including the BRICS political parties' forum, the International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties (IMCWP), the São Paulo Forum, and the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP).

7. The leaders highlighted the importance of the Viet Nam Cuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in implementing protocols between the National Assembly of Viet Nam and Cuba’s National Assembly of People’s Power. They welcomed the second session of the committee scheduled for early October 2025 and agreed to focus on perfecting the legal system, creating a legal framework for economic, trade, and investment activities, and promoting the sustainable implementation of bilateral agreements.

8. The two sides agreed to continue close cooperation in the areas of national defence, security, and foreign affairs, emphasising the importance and effectiveness of the extensive and substantive defence cooperation across various fields between the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence and the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, the collaboration between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, as well as the political consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries.

9. They spoke highly of the results of the 42nd session of the Viet Nam Cuba Intergovernmental Committee on Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation. They agreed to maximise existing mechanisms, expand cooperation into potential sectors, including priority ones such as agriculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, health care, energy, telecommunications, tourism, construction, transport, high technology, and digital transformation.

Viet Nam and Cuba vowed to jointly promote and deepen bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, and investment, particularly in strategic and high-potential sectors. They called on relevant agencies of both countries to enhance exchanges and coordination to address existing challenges and obstacles, and to make the most of the Viet Nam Cuba Trade Agreement to increase trade volume and diversify bilateral trade.

The Cuban side reaffirmed its support and facilitation for Vietnamese enterprises' greater participation and presence in Cuba’s socio-economic development process.

10. Cuba expressed gratitude and appreciation for the signing of the agreement between the two Governments on the implementation of a technical assistance project for the Cuban Ministry of Justice aimed at enhancing its capacity in law making and enforcement. Both sides agreed to ensure the project is carried out seriously, effectively, and with high quality, contributing positively to Cuba’s legal development and improvement efforts, thereby further strengthening the special friendship between Viet Nam and Cuba.

First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermude (second from left) and his spouse watch the parade from the grandstand. (Photo: VNA)

11. First Secretary and President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez expressed gratitude to the Party, State, and people of Viet Nam for the effective support for Cuba in food security and energy security. The two sides agreed to review and assess the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms and agreements; assign relevant ministries and agencies of the two countries to explore new methods and forms of cooperation; and promptly resolve difficulties and obstacles, and propose suitable mechanisms and policies for each country, thereby expanding areas of cooperation in the new phase.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the signing an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Government of the Republic of Cuba on promoting rice production to gradually ensure food security in Cuba for 2025 2027; the minutes of the 42nd meeting of the Viet Nam Cuba Intergovernmental Committee on Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation; a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on healthcare cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and the Cuban Ministry of Health; an MoU on archival and document management cooperation; and an MoU on the establishment of a joint venture between Hoa Sen Holdings Group, the Green Economics Institute, and Labiofam Group of Cuba.

12. Leaders of both countries welcomed and highly valued the results of the diverse and practical exchanges between the two peoples, particularly during the Viet Nam Cuba Friendship Year 2025; agreed to further promote people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between socio-political organisations and localities of the two countries; and agreed to increase communications about the significance and importance of the traditional solidarity, special friendship, and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Cuba, instilling in the younger generations of both nations a lasting respect for and commitment to nurturing and developing this special, exemplary, and faithful bilateral relationship.

First Secretary and President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee, the Viet Nam Red Cross Society, and the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations for organising the national fundraising programme “65 Years of Viet Nam Cuba Special Friendship” to support the Cuban people, attracting participation and support from agencies, organisations, localities, the business community, and a large number of Vietnamese citizens. This serves as a vivid demonstration of the enduring tradition of solidarity, closeness, and mutual support, as well as the determination to unceasingly tighten and nurture the special and steadfast friendship between the peoples of Viet Nam and Cuba.

On this occasion, the Party, State, and people of Viet Nam presented the first tranche of 385 billion VND (over 14.6 million USD) from this meaningful programme to provide timely support for the Cuban people.

13. High-ranking leaders of the two countries emphasised the shared perspectives on international issues of common concern, affirming that international disputes must be resolved by peaceful measures, with respect for international law and the United Nations Charter. They agreed that relations between countries must be built on respect for independence, sovereignty, equality, the right to self-determination of peoples and the fundamental principles of international law, including the respect for one another's territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the active mutual assistance and support at international organisations and multilateral forums where both countries are members, particularly the UN and multilateral political forums of international political parties.
Cuba highly values Viet Nam’s international role and prestige in proposing initiatives and contributing actively to global efforts in addressing shared challenges of humanity and emerging international issues, expressing belief that Viet Nam will successfully host the signing ceremony of the UN Convention against Cybercrime in Ha Noi in October 2025.

14. Viet Nam consistently supports the just cause of the Cuban people, demanding the immediate and unconditional lifting of groundless economic, trade, and financial sanctions against Cuba; and calls for the removal of Cuba from the unilateral list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. Viet Nam supports efforts to improve Cuba US relations and to expand cooperation between the two countries on issues of mutual interest, based on equality and respect for independence, sovereignty, and political regime of each country.

15. First Secretary and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez sincerely thanked the Party, State, and people of Viet Nam for the warm, attentive, fraternal, and cordial reception extended to the high-ranking delegation of the Cuban Party and State; and formally invited a high-ranking delegation of Viet Nam to visit Cuba by the end of 2025. High-ranking leaders of Viet Nam accepted the invitation. The visit to be arranged through the diplomatic channel.

Ha Noi, September 2, 2025.