President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers of Cuba Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel and his spouse attended a state welcome ceremony in Hanoi on Friday morning as part of their official friendly visit to Vietnam.

The Cuban leader is visiting Vietnam from November 8 to 10 at the invitation of the state president and prime minister of Vietnam.

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong hosted the welcome ceremony on Friday.

The visit is President Diaz-Canel’s first official trip to Vietnam since he took office in April.

After the welcome ceremony, the Cuban leader joined talks with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairwoman of the lawmaking National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan the same day.

President Diaz-Canel is scheduled to arrive in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday, where he will have meetings with city leaders and visit historical sites.

Party General Secretary and State President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong (R) decorates Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel with the Order of Ho Chi Minh City at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on November 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The Cuban leader’s Vietnam trip is a step to continue bolstering the special relations between the friendly countries, and reiterates Vietnam’s consistent policy of developing friendship, solidarity, mutual trust, and comprehensive cooperation with Cuba, the official Vietnam News Agency reports.

The two countries established diplomatic ties in December 1960.

Vietnam is one of Cuba’s ten biggest trade partners globally and its second-biggest trade partner in Asia.  Vietnam exports rice, coal, chemicals, garment-textiles and computers to Cuba while importing pharmaceutical products from the Caribbean country.

Two-way trade averaged US$170 million yearly between 2012 and 2014 before gradually climbing to $230 million in 2017, with Vietnam enjoying a trade surplus. 

Cuba imports from 300,000 to 400,000 metric tons of rice from Vietnam each year.

The welcome ceremony is the first to be made for a foreign head of state by President Trong since he was elected Vietnam’s head of state in October to succeed late State President Tran Dai Quang, who died in September.

Party General Secretary and State President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and his spouse attend a welcome ceremony for Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Hanoi on November 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Party General Secretary and State President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and his spouse attend a welcome ceremony for Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Hanoi on November 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Party General Secretary and State President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong (L) and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel review the guard of honor at a welcome ceremony in Hanoi on November 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Party General Secretary and State President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong (R) decorates Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel with the Order of Ho Chi Minh City at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on November 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Vietnamese and Cuban state leaders witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Hanoi on November 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Vietnamese and Cuban leaders and officials join a talk in Hanoi on November 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Party General Secretary and State President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong (R) and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel host a press conference following talks in Hanoi on November 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel (L) and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc exchange hugs before talks in Hanoi on November 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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