Cuba's Raul Castro arrives in Vietnam

Cuba's Raul Castro arrives in Vietnam
The Associated Press

HANOI, Vietnam -- Cuba's Raul Castro arrived in Hanoi on Saturday for a
four-day visit aimed at boosting ties between the longtime communist allies.

The stop follows a trip to China where Castro met with leaders and
signed a series of economic agreements.

The Asian visits are seen by some Cuban watchers as an up-close chance
for Castro to see Vietnam and China's mix of capitalism and socialism at
work. The two countries have embraced market economy reforms and
experienced rapid development, while Cuba has remained largely poor.

Castro last visited Vietnam in 2005 as defense minister, a title he held
from 1959 until replacing his older brother, Fidel, as president in 2008.

Vietnam supplies the bulk of Cuba's rice imports, and bilateral trade
stood at $274 million last year.

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