Vietnamese companies will build a hotel in Havana

Vietnamese companies will venture into theCuban tourism sectorwith the construction of ahotel in Havana and the repair of two others, of which no details were offered in the official information.

The Cuban ambassador in that country,Orlando Hernandez Guillen, announced this Tuesday in Hanoi that “everything is quite advanced for Vietnam to venture, at some point in 2023, into the Cuban tourism sector,” according toLatin Press.

Interviewed by the official agency, the diplomat took stock of bilateral economic-commercial relations throughout the current year. Although the commercial exchange does not show signs of growth, "there are other important aspects that allow us to predict a new rebound in that order."

“We have reasons to feel optimistic that next year there will be consolidation and development in the economic sphere, and that new sectors will allow the presence of Vietnamese investments in Cuba to be promoted,” said Hernández Guillén.

Among these reasons, the official mentioned the capture of the first Vietnamese investment in the agricultural sector, aimed at the construction of a livestock feed plant. According to him, they are working on a visit to Cuba of a delegation from that branch, with interests in food production and processing.

Additionally, in the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZED), a detergent factory is being completed and work is underway on expanding the napkin and diaper factory, as well as on the photovoltaic generation plant, which is small, but which, according to the Cuban ambassador, opens the way for the installation of other larger projects that are currently being negotiated.

Rice will continue to be the fundamental item in the bilateral trade relationship, stated the diplomat, who celebrated the important role played by Vietnam in Cuba's food security.

However, Hernández Guillén hoped that "in the near future, Cuban medical services in Vietnam can be expanded, as well as exports of biotechnology products and other items such as rum, seafood, and tobacco."

In December 2021, the governments of Cuba and Vietnam agreed to create better conditions to increase bilateral trade and cooperation; for whichThe Cuban regime offered tariff preferences to Vietnamese companies.

In January of this year, ViMariel S.A., a subsidiary of the Vietnamese trading company Corporación Viglacera S.A. which has its headquarters in the ZED, delivereda donation of 100 tons of rice to Cuba.

In almost six decades of diplomatic relations with Cuba, the Asian nation - the third largest rice exporter in the world - has made numerous donations to the island of the important cereal, a basic food in the Cuban diet.

In June 2018, Vietnam sent 5,000 tons of rice, after the passage of subtropical storm Alberto. Previously, in 2017, it gave away another 1,000 tons to help recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Irma in September of that year.

In July, the authorities of the Asian countryThey donated more than 700 computers to the National Assembly of Cuba for the purpose of supporting the activities of the legislative body.

Given such dependence on Vietnamese donations for the food security of Cubans, it is not surprising that GeneralRaul Castro reappeared in mid-Octoberto receive and welcome Army General To Lam, Vietnamese Minister of Public Security.