Nguyễn Phú Trọng
During his five-day visit to Cuba Nguyễn Phú Trọng headed a delegation consisting of such high-level officials as Phạm Quang Nghị, Nguyễn Thiện Nhân and Phạm Bình Minh among others. During his visit, Nguyễn Phú Trọng received the Order of José Marti, the highest distinction given by the Cuban Council of State. Before leaving, Nguyễn Phú Trọng said Vietnam would donate 5,000 tons of rice on behalf of the Vietnamese people to Cuba. The delegation was sent off by José Ramón Balaguer, a member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Cuba, at the José Martí International Airport. In the aftermath of Nguyễn Phú Trọng visit to Cuba, Victor Gaute Lopez, a member of the Secretariat, said Cuba and Vietnam would work side-to-side in their goal to construct a socialist society. Following Raúl Castro's July 2012 visit, Cuban–Vietnamese relations are said to have entered a new phase. According to Castro, the "Cuban people will forever be side by side with its Vietnamese peers to nurture the brotherhood between the two nations so that it will continue to grow and flourish. I believe that is the wish of both peoples." Nguyễn Phú Trọng shared his sentiments, and said "The [Castro's] visit promotes a new development in the relations between the two Parties, and Governments, and the realization of recently signed joint agreements and declarations. Vietnam has pledged to promote economic and trade measures that match the new circumstances and interests of each country." Nguyễn Sinh Hùng, the Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, urged for more direct cooperation with Cuba after Castro's visit, and established the Vietnamese–Cuban Parliamentary Friendship Group so as to "bring bilateral ties between both legislative bodies to a new level."