Havana (VNA) - Vietnam and Cubahave maintained a special, pure and faithful relationship, which is a rare onein international relations, Vijay Sakhuja, Director at the Centre for Public PolicyResearch under Indian Council o𒁃f World Affairs, said in an article posted onthe reporteasia.com website.

Although geographically far apart, Vietnam andCuba have maintained close relations since they established diplomatic relationson December 2, 1960, he wrote, noting that this year, Vietnam and Cuba are celebrating the60th founding anniversary of the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with SouthVietnam (September 25, 1963-2023) and the 50th anniversary of Cuba leader FidelCastro Ruz’s first visit to Vietnam and the liberatedzone in the South of Vietnam (September 1973).

The Indian expert highlighted the special relationshipbetween President Ho Chi Minh and Cuban leader Fidel Castro. In September 1973,to support Vietnam's national liberation cause, Fidel became thefirst and only foreign head of state to visit the liberated zone in the South of Vietnam while the war was still fierce, bringing great encouragementto the Vietnamese army and people.

He wrote that Vietnam andCuba have maintained their commitment to bring bilateral cooperation to new heights invarious fields. The leaders of the two countries have activelypromoted bilateral economic and trade cooperation. Although the current tradeexchange value is still modest at about 250 to 300 million USD, two-wayturnover is capable of reaching 500 million USD by 2025.

The two countries have supported each other toovercome difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2020, Vietnamprovided COVID-19 vaccines to Cuba and announced that the two countries wouldstrengthen cooperation in the field of military medicine. In 2021, during thethird wave of the pandemic in Vietnam, Cuba provided 10 million doses of itshome-grown coronavirus vaccine, Abdala to Vietnam.

Vietnam constantly promotes peaceand 𓃲stability in the world, while maintaining a policy of neutrality inpolitics with major countries. In 2021, Vietnam called on the US to review its policytowards Cuba and normalise relations with Havana for the benefit of the twopeoples, contributing to peace, stability and development of the region and theworld.

The Indian expert appreciated the stance ofVietnam and believed that Hanoi is in a position to create favourableconditions for a constructive dialogue between Cuba and the US./.