HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City wants to step up economic and trade cooperationprogrammes with Cuba, a local official said on October 4.

Le Thanh Liem, Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee, told visitingCuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz that thesouthern largest economic hub is ready to share its experience in economicmanagement and development with Cuba, contributing to the development of friendshiprelations between Vietnam and Cuba.

He said the success of the 35th meeting of the Vietnam-CubaIntergovernmental Committee, which took place in Hanoi on October 2, will openup new opportunities for development cooperation, especially in trade andinvestment, between Cuba and Vietnam, including HCM City.

The people of HCM City in particular and Vietnam in general always keep in mindgood sentiments and wholehearted support of the Cuban people during the paststruggle for national independence and reunification as well as the presentcause of national construction and development, Liem said.

HCM City’s leaders and people always stand side by side with the Cuban peoplein the process of national construction and development, thus helping to nurtureand develop the special friendship between the two countries, he added.

For his part, Minister Diaz congratulated HCM City on its strong and dynamicdevelopment and affirmed that the Cuban people treasure and want to boost thesolidarity, friendship and fraternity with the Vietnamese people, includingthose in HCM City.

The ministernoted that bilateral cooperation has yet to match great potentials of both countries,adding that during the 35th meeting of the Vietnam-Cuba IntergovernmentalCommittee, both sides agreed to advance economic ties on par with the fruitful politicalrelations.

They also consented to create the best possible conditions for trade promotionand cooperation between Vietnamese and Cuban businesses.-VNA