Cuba, Vietnam Ministries Boost Transportation Cooperation

Cuba’s construction minister and Vietnam’s transport minister met in Hanoi on June 13 to discuss cooperation on transportation and ways to improve cooperation in the future.

Truong Quang Nghia, Vietnam’s Transport Minister, said that while his country faces economic challenges, it views infrastructure development as a top priority. The country is encouraging investment from all sources, including foreign and private investors, through a public-private partnership or build-operate-transfer arrangement.

Vietnam is in the midst of changing certain mechanisms and participating in multilateral free trade agreements to help attract foreign investment.

Mr. Nghia said the supervisors and advisors of the Dinvai Company, part of Cuba’s ministry, worked well with other projects in Vietnam. However, he noted that the company can improve its performance by updating its understanding of local laws and its professional knowledge.

Cuba’s Construction Minister Rene Mesa Villafana says the Communist Party’s 7th national congress resolution in April calls for more resources to develop infrastructure. The resolution requires the improvement of inter-provincial roads and the building of expressways.

The Construction Minister said Cuba is learning from other countries’ experiences, including Vietnam.

Mr. Villafana expressed Cuba’s wishes to extend its cooperation with Vietnam in transport infrastructure construction, especially now that several Cuban companies are participating in the Southeast Asian country’s transport projects.

During their meeting, both sides agreed to move forward with transport agreements, including those in the aviation and navigation sectors.

Vietnam’s Minister of Construction Pham Hong Ha encouraged Cuba to facilitate a joint venture between the Cuban Geicons Group and the Vietnam Glass and Ceramics for Construction Corporation, or Viglacera.

Mr. Ha called on Mr. Villafana to extend his support of exporting materials from Viglacera to his country. The Minister also expressed his hope that Cuba will initiate cooperation between the two nations. Vietnam is also willing to share its experience with Cuba in the development and management of urban areas, housing, material production and technology.

Laser Weapon System Developed by the United States

A laser weapon may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but the U.S. has developed a directed-energy weapon that brings the future to present day. No, this is nothing like your dinky little at home laser hair removal device. This is a serious weapon, and its precision is stunning.

Known as the AN/SEQ-3 Laser Weapon System, or XN-1 LaWS for short, this weapon was developed in 2010 by the United States Navy. In 2014, it was installed on the USS Ponce to carry out field tests. In December of that year, the U.S. Navy announced that laser weapon system worked perfectly, and the Ponce’s commander was authorized to use the XN-1 LaWS as a defensive weapon.

The XN-1 LaWS was designed to be a ship-defense system, and thus far, it has only publicly engaged in simulated attacks from a small boat and a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) drone.

The LaWS features scalable power levels. On low power, it can be used to dazzle a person’s eyes, causing them to turn away from a threatening posture. On high power (30 thousand watts), the laser has the power to burn out motors, fry sensors and even detonate explosive materials.

Against a helicopter, this laser can burn through vital components, causing it to fall and crash.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions won the $11 million contract to develop the system in 2010 as part of a U.S. Navy program. The Navy spent $40 million on the research, development and testing of this system over six years.

If testing goes well, the Navy may deploy a laser weapon with a one-mile range sometime between 2017 and 2021.

Directed-energy weapons are highly sought due to their economic benefits. An LaWS can be fired for little more than a dollar per shot, whereas conventional projectiles can cost thousands of dollars each.

Panama Welcomes Visit from Cuban Foreign Trade Minister

Cuba’s Foreign Trade Minister, Rodrigo Malmierca, visited Panama on Sunday in a joint meeting. The meeting was welcomed by Panama. Panama’s CCIAP, a committee of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture met with Mr. Malmierca.

Miguel Antonio Pardo, Cuban Ambassador to Panama, announced on Monday that Mr. Malmierca is slated to have meetings through Tuesday with personalities and businessmen in Panama.

Panama and Cuba reinforced their relations last year following a visit to Cuba from Panama’s President Juan Carlos Varela. The visit in 2015 was part of a stimulus effort to jumpstart a commercial exchange between the two countries.

Officials in Panama and Cuba have stated that the cooperation between the two countries will be beneficial and generate opportunities.

Commercial operations between the two countries requires opportunities to expand and diversify in an effort to improve the juridical safety and environment of commercial opportunities.

Panama and Cuba trade primarily in non-original goods. Trades are made through the Free Area of Colon. The two countries aim to boost trade and their potential to increase exports among both countries, according to sources close to the matter.

The signed Protocol allowed for new tariff preferences of Panama goods in Cuba. The new tariff laws include 73 lines, with some items reaching 100%, including butter and palm oil. There is an 80 to 30 percent agreement for goods, such as toilet paper, t-shirts, fiber and other items.

Cuba’s embargo with the United States came to an end this year, allowing the country to extend trade with numerous countries. High debt levels in the country have been used by rich countries as a way to enter into the Cuban market. The United States and Cuba must learn and work together, according to a new report from Mr. Malmierca, which was released earlier in the month.