While addressing the event on December 30, Cuban Consul General Gabbriel Perez Tarrau said the 50-year old Vietnam-Cuba fraternity and solidarity is a valuable asset that both nations should preserve and uphold.

Mr Tarrau said Vietnam’s renewal experiences are very useful to Cuba, adding that his country will focus on agricultural development and strive to post an economic growth rate of 1.9 percent in 2010.

The President of the HCM City Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association, Hoang Thi Khanh, congratulated the Cuban people on their achievements after five decades of national construction and development.

She said the international community has extended support for Cuba, as proven clearly through global protests against the US’s embargo imposed on the island country.

On the occasion, many organisations and businesses presented 30,000 notebooks and VND20 million to Cuban students.