The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), Hoang Tuan Anh, visited Mexico from May 23-28 to strengthen bilateral ties in fields under his charge.

During the visit, Minister Anh attended the opening ceremony of the Vietnam Week in Mexico City and met with leaders of Mexico’s National Council for Culture and Arts (CONACULA), National Commission for Physical Culture and Sports (CONADE) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE).

During the meetings, the two sides agreed to exchange delegations and documents, hold joint exhibitions and culture weeks, negotiate and sign a three-year cooperation agreement in the field of sports and work together to seek effective measures to implement signed cultural and tourism agreements.

They vowed to assist each other in organising cultural events and major festivals in each country, including the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi, the 120th birthday of late President Ho Chi Minh, the 200th anniversary of Mexico’s Independence Day and 100 years of its Revolution.

Minister Anh thanked the Mexican Government and people for their sincere sentiments towards President Ho Chi Minh, noting that Mexico is the first country to build Uncle Ho statues, which are in Mexico City and the coastal city of Acapunco.

In the field of sports, Minister Anh suggested Vietnam sending over coaches in wushu, taekwondo and shooting while Mexico will offer back help in springboard and football.

On the occasion, the CONADE leaders handed over to Vietnam a draft bilateral cooperation agreement on sports and pledged to visit Hanoi in August.

The Vietnamese side proposed that Mexico vote for Halong Bay as one of the seven new natural wonders of the world. Vietnam promised to join the American International Tourism Fair to be held in Mexico in September while the Mexican side agreed to send a delegation to participate in the regular international tourism fair in Ho Chi Minh City as from this year.