Havana (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)Nguyen Phu Trong has expressed his hope that young people of Vietnam and Cubawill treasure and write new chapters of the countries’ solidarity, friendship and cooperation.

Speakingat a meeting with Vietnamese and Cuban youths in Havana, Cuba, on March 29afternoon (local time), the Party leader said the special relationship is rarein the world’s contemporary history.

Therelationship had been fostered by former leaders of both countries like JoseMarti, Fidel Castro and Ho Chi Minh, and cultivated by generations ofVietnamese and Cuban leaders, he said.

Despitethe geographical distance, Vietnam and Cuba share a lot of similarities, PartyGeneral Secretary Trong said, noting that the fraternal friendship was formedand developed thanks to historical similarities of the two countries.

Overthe past nearly 60 years since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties(December 2, 1960), Vietnam and Cuba have stood side by side during the paststruggle for national liberation and freedom, as well as the present nationalconstruction and defence, the leader said.

Hedescribed their friendship and fraternity as a symbol of era and a valuableasset shared by the Parties and people of the two countries.

Herecalled Cuban revolutionary Leader Fidel Castro Ruz’s immortal sayings such as“For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its blood,” as well as President HoChi Minh’s affirmation of close-knit relations between Vietnam and Cuba assiblings despite their geographical distance.

Expressing his delight at the unceasingly reinforcedfriendship and solidarity between the two countries’ young people, he asked theyouth organisations and young people of Vietnam and Cuba should push ahead withpractical cooperation activities to share experience and support each other tocontribute to their countries’ development.

He voiced his belief that with their creativity,enthusiasm and strong will, young Vietnamese and Cubans will inherit theglorious traditions from the previous generations to devote themselves tobilateral relations.

Echoing the CPV leader’s view, Miguel Diaz-CanelBermudez, Politburo member and First Vice President of the Cuban Councils ofState and Ministers, said youth training is important to educating the young onthe two nations’ distinguished history, thus inspiring their sense ofresponsibility in protecting the everlasting values of independence and freedomthat the previous generations sacrificed their lives to gain.

He voiced his belief that the countries’solidarity, friendship and cooperation will be maintained as a precious assetof the two nations by current and future generations.

At the event, in the presence of the twocountries’ leaders, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the YoungCommunist League of Cuba signed a cooperation agreement to boost youth exchangeand cooperation activities.

On this occasion, Politburo member and ViceChairwoman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tong Thi Phong and MiguelDiaz-Canel Bermudez presented the Friendship Order, a noble award of the Stateof Vietnam, to five Cuban war veterans who came to Vietnam to assist thestruggle for national liberation and reunification.-VNA