Ho Chi Minh City expects to host Cuban doctors for work and desires to collaborate with Cuban partners in pharmaceutical trade and production, city chairman Phan Van Mai said on Tuesday.

The chairman of the municipal People’s Committee was speaking at a ceremony held by the Cuban Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City to mark the 65th anniversary of Cuba’s National Day (January 1) and 63 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Cuba.

Mai highlighted the enduring friendship between Vietnam and Cuba, originally established by President Ho Chi Minh and President Fidel Castro.

This longstanding bond has been consistently nurtured by successive generations of leaders and the people of both nations, as well as their respective localities, resulting in a robust and flourishing relationship.

In particular, Ho Chi Minh City is always one of the localities that actively implement many specific and practical cooperation activities to constantly consolidate and strengthen the rapport with Cuba and Cuban localities.

A prominent spot in the relations between Ho Chi Minh City and Cuba is cooperation in the health sector, Mai pointed out.

In addition to the existing cooperative agreements on the exchange of research projects, lecturers, doctors, researchers, and students between the city-based Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and Cuba's Medical University of Cienfuegos, the municipal Department of Health is implementing a program for exchange of experience between the city and Cuba in the development of the family doctor model, he elaborated.

“Accordingly, the city expects to welcome Cuban doctors soon,” the mayor affirmed.

At the same time, the city wishes to cooperate with Cuban partners in trade and production of drugs, vaccines, and biopharmaceuticals, he stated.

Economically, Ho Chi Minh City is considered an important trade and investment partner of Cuba, with the majority of Vietnamese investors in Cuba being enterprises from the city.

“Vietnam and Cuba are thousands of miles apart, but the hearts of the two countries' people are as close as brothers,” Mai told the ceremony, citing late President Ho Chi Minh.

The relationship between the two countries has steadily flourished over time, expanding in both scope and depth across various sectors, from politics, economics to healthcare and agriculture, the city’s leader commented.

Given global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, the enduring connection and spirit of mutual support between the two countries and their peoples have shone brightly, he declared.

“With commitment and respect, I address you on behalf of the Cuban people and government to this fellow country, for which I feel an extraordinary love,” Cuban Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Ariadne Feo Labrada said.

Labrada expressed her gratitude to city authorities for their support for the Consulate General in strengthening political, economic, commercial, and solidarity ties between the two nations.

“We cannot pay greater tribute to our special ties than by hugely growing the solidarity and friendship that unite us with this brotherhood nation, Uncle Ho's land,” she said.

In this statement, Labrada referred to late President Ho Chi Minh as 'Uncle Ho,' the same words used by Vietnamese people to address their revered national leader. 

The diplomat was committed to continuing the work to strengthen the political, economic, and cooperative ties between the two countries.

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