16:54' 02/01/2008 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Jesus Aise Sotolongo
spoke to Viet Nam News about his country's Victory Day, which was
celebrated yesterday.
How can Vietnam and Cuba enhance their relationship, especially their
economic and trade ties?
Several significant events enhanced Cuba-Vietnam relationships last
year, especially their bilateral economic ties.
The visit by Viet Nam Communist Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh to
Cuba in May was an important milestone for the parties of both countries
and helped strengthen political relations and economic ties.
Several memoranda of understanding for economic as well as science and
technology co-operation were signed during the visit and these attracted
international interest.
There were also visits by Vietnam's Construction Minister and
Vietnam-Cuba Joint Committee president Nguyen Hong Quan; Viet Nam State
Bank Governor Nguyen Van Giau and former Industry Minister Hoang Trung Hai.
Cubans, who made official visits to Vietnam last year, included
Politburo member and Parliament chairman Ricardo Alarcon de Quesada;
politburo member and Basic Industry Minister Yadira Garcia; Central
Committee secretary and its External Relations Committee director
Fernando Remires de Estenoz; Revolutionary Command and Information and
Communications Minister Ramiro Valdez and Foreign Minister Felipe Perez
Roque.
The exchange visits proved that our bilateral political ties are sound
and at their meetings, the leaders discussed measures to enhance
economic co-operation between Cuba and Vietnam.
Cuba's State Minister Ricardo Cabrisas, Construction Minister Fidel
Figueroa and Light Industry Minister Jose Hemandez also visited Vietnam.
These visits had a positive influence on enhancing economic and trade
relations as well as co-operation between the two countries.
Vietnamese delegates and business representatives met with their Cuban
partners to discuss the promotion of co-operation during the 25th
meeting of the Vietnam-Cuba Joint Committee in Havana last year.
Minutes for co-operation, including an inter-government protocol for
Economic and Science and Technology Co-operation, were signed during the
meeting.
Other minutes were signed for co-operation in tourism, construction,
sport and physical training, finance, rice cultivation, oil and gas,
information and communications, archives building, the environment and
technology, biological technology, radio and television and investment
enhancement and sponsorship.
All now need the attention of both countries, business as well as their
embassies in Havana and Hanoi.
The potential to expand trade between Vietnam and Cuba is high.
Vietnam can export light industrial products to Cuba and import
biological products in return.
Vietnam can also boost co-operation with Cuba in food hygiene and
construction consultancy.
I think a significant progress in the enhancing of ties is the
establishment of representative offices of Cuban economic groups in Vietnam.
These include the Cubalse Group, the Enterprise Administration Group and
the Cimex Group.
What advice have you for Vietnamese who want to invest in Cuba?
There are many opportunities to do business in Cuba. The priorities are
tourism, oil and gas, light industry and construction.
My advice to Vietnamese businesses is to study Cuba's market and Foreign
Investment Law thoroughly and establish partnerships with Cuban
businesses to identify opportunities for developing co-operation to the
mutual benefit of both countries, if they want to be successful.
The traditional relationship between Vietnam-Cuba is a solid foundation
for the strengthening of economic ties between the two countries.
(Source: Viet Nam News)
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