Beijing, Sep 26 (Prensa Latina) China and Cuba celebrated the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations here today, with messages of commitment to strengthening friendship and cooperation in all areas.
The Chinese government’s special representative for Latin American affairs, Qiu Xiaoqi, congratulated the anniversary and recalled that the island was the first country in the Western Hemisphere to recognize the new China in 1960.
He noted that for six and a half decades, the two countries have maintained strong relations, supported each other on issues of common interest, and consolidated a relationship of friends, comrades, and brothers.
He noted that under the leadership of Presidents Xi Jinping and Miguel Díaz-Canel, relations have reached new consensus, including the commitment to building a community of shared destiny.
The official also indicated that the recent meeting between the two leaders in Beijing provided new directions for expanding bilateral cooperation and enhancing coordination in international forums.
For his part, the Cuban ambassador to China, Alberto Blanco, expressed that the friendship between the two countries has stood the test of time, geographical distance, and several generations, consolidating itself through mutual political trust.
He emphasized that the top leaders of both nations have given personal priority to ties, which has allowed for strategic consensus to be reached to strengthen ties in all spheres.
Blanco noted that Cuba supports the global initiatives proposed by Xi Jinping, such as the Global Governance Initiative, and reiterated its defense of multilateralism and the principles of the UN Charter.
The diplomat affirmed that peace is not promoted through hegemony or tariff wars, and denounced double standards, the application of unilateral coercive measures, and genocide against the Palestinian people.
He also reaffirmed Havana’s support for Venezuela and President Nicolás Maduro in the face of the US onslaught under false pretexts.
On several occasions, Beijing reiterated its support for the island in the fight against the US blockade and demanded its removal from Washington’s unilateral list of state sponsors of terrorism.
A special edition of Lookwe magazine dedicated to the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations was also launched during the evening. Friends of solidarity groups, artists, businesspeople, academics, and representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited to China participated in this event.
On September 2, 1960, in front of more than a million Cubans, the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, called for a break with the Taiwanese government and the establishment of diplomatic ties with Mao Zedong’s People’s Republic of China.
On September 28 of that year, Cuba became the first country in Latin America and the Caribbean to establish these ties with the new China, paving the way for relations between the Asian giant and the rest of the nations in the region.
jcm/idm
