Cuba and China celebrate six and a half decades of strategic ties

Cuba and China celebrated the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in Beijing, with an extensive program of activities that highlighted historical friendship and bilateral strategic cooperation.

Photos via Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in China

By Katherin Hormigó Rubio, translated from the Spanish

"Relations between Cuba and China today constitute an example of transparency and collaboration between two nations that defend the cause of socialism in the most difficult conditions that humanity has ever experienced." This is how Fidel Castro Ruz, the Commander in Chief and leader of the Cuban Revolution, characterized the bilateral relations between the nations in November 2004.

As September 28 marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the influence of the Commander in Chief becomes more relevant than ever.

A few days ago, Cuba and China marked this occasion in Beijing with pledges to enhance their friendship and cooperation across all sectors.

Alberto Blanco, the Cuban ambassador to the Asian country, stated that the strong friendship between Cuba and China has withstood the challenges of time, geographical distance, and the succession of three generations, leaving us with an invaluable legacy.

He emphasized that "65 years of diplomatic relations have resulted in maturity and mutual political trust." He also mentioned that "Cuba takes pride in being the first country in the Western Hemisphere to acknowledge the Government of the new China as its sole legitimate representative, thereby contributing modestly to the initiation and progression of official relations between China and Latin America and the Caribbean."

The Cuban ambassador emphasized that the personal attention and high priority given by the top leaders of our countries, from the historical generation to the present, have accompanied the bilateral relations, along with the mutual admiration and affection of our governments. In this context, he stated:

"We have reached important consensuses at the highest level and we have been implementing them effectively. We are encouraged by the common will to project a political orientation and a strategic approach to bilateral ties in all spheres, with inter-party ties as the cornerstone."

He also conveyed the intention to speed up the collaborative development of a Bilateral Shared Future community, which honors the Shared Future community between the one China and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Blanco described the recent visit of Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, as fruitful. Díaz-Canel participated in the events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression and the global anti-fascist war. Blanco emphasized that this visit marked a new milestone in bilateral relations.

Similarly, the official affirmed that "the bonds of friendship and cooperation between Cuba and China serve as a model for a relationship between a large nation and a smaller one, both socialist, founded on equality and mutual respect, as well as between a Latin American country and the sister People's Republic of China."

He reiterated Cuba's dedication to backing the global initiatives put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping, such as the recent Global Governance Initiative. In his address, he also emphasized the extensive similarities between the two nations and their mutual support on key international issues of common interest, consistently advocating for multilateralism, the principles of international law, and the UN Charter.

"The best way to promote peace and multilateralism is not with hegemonism and unilateralism," commented the Cuban ambassador, while pointing out that it was necessary to preserve Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, this being a priority in the face of the imperialist onslaught against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and its legitimate president Nicolás Maduro using false and tired pretexts.

The special representative of the Chinese government for Latin American affairs, Qiu Xiaoqi, attended the meeting, offered congratulations on the anniversary, and noted that the island was the first country in the Western Hemisphere to acknowledge the new China in 1960.

He emphasized that the two countries have collaboratively progressed along their unique paths to socialism with distinctive national characteristics, supported each other on matters concerning their core interests and major concerns, and have maintained close coordination on international and regional issues.

The venue also hosted the unveiling of a special edition of the esteemed Lookwe magazine, which focuses on the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Cuba and China. This edition highlights significant milestones in their bilateral ties and advancements in cooperation across various sectors. Additionally, a commemorative tea was presented to mark these 65 years of close friendship.

To wrap up the reception, the choir from Dayu High School in Beijing performed and delighted the audience with renditions of the songs "Mojito" and "Guantanamera."

This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC