Xi Yandao丨Latin American scholars talk about Cuban leaders' visit to China: China helps Latin America grow "unprecedented"

　　Chinanews.com, Beijing, November 27th:

　　Reporter Meng Xiangjun

　　Like-minded people are not far away from mountains and seas!

On the land of Latin America, the enthusiastic drumbeat of Havana flew across the ocean and was transmitted to the distant Beijing.

　　From November 24th to 26th, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and Cuban President Diaz-Canel paid a state visit to China, becoming the fifth foreign leader to visit China after the end of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The first leader of a Latin American and Caribbean country to visit China.

　　When Beijing meets Havana, what kind of "friendship song" will the "good friends" of China and Cuba play this time?

　　A reporter from Chinanews.com invited Marcus Vinicius de Freitas, a Brazilian scholar, a senior researcher at the New Southern Policy Research Center (Rabat, Morocco), and a visiting professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, to discuss the issues between China and Cuba, China, and Latin America and the Caribbean. In-depth interpretation of the development of national relations.

On November 25, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping held a welcoming ceremony for the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and Cuban President Díaz-Canel, who was on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Du Yang

Three "will not change" and three "unswerving"

　　This is the first visit to China by Cuban President Diaz-Canel since the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, which is of great significance.

　　On November 25, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President Xi Jinping held talks with Dias-Canel at the Great Hall of the People.

Across the ocean, the leaders of two socialist countries in the eastern and western hemispheres meet again.

　　Cuba is the first country in the Western Hemisphere to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.

During the talks, President Xi spoke highly of China-Cuba relations as "a model of solidarity and cooperation among socialist countries and sincere mutual assistance among developing countries."

　　President Xi fully explained the true meaning of the everlasting friendship between China and Cuba.

He pointed out that "China's policy of adhering to the long-term friendship between China and Cuba will not change, its determination to support Cuba in taking the road of socialism will not change, and its will to work with Cuba to defend international fairness and justice and oppose hegemony and power will not change."

　　President Xi is full of expectations for the development of relations between the two countries.

He said that the two countries should "unswervingly deepen the friendship of sincerity, unswervingly carry out mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, and unswervingly be partners in reform and development".

　　Three "will not change" and three "unswerving", for Chairman Xi's statement, Dias-Canel expressed his sincere gratitude.

He emphasized that developing relations with China is the top priority of Cuba's foreign policy.

　　The Cuban side reaffirms its firm adherence to the one-China principle, supports the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road", global development initiatives, and global security initiatives, and is willing to further strengthen cooperation with China in regional and international multilateral mechanisms such as the Latin American Forum and the "Group of 77 + China" Strengthen coordination and cooperation, and continue to contribute to promoting Latin America-China relations and safeguarding the common interests of developing countries.

After 60 years of Western blockade, Cuba needs to develop

　　As a pearl in the northwestern Caribbean, Cuba has a land area of ​​about 110,000 square kilometers, roughly equivalent to the size of Jiangsu Province in China.

This socialist country with only 12 million people is unique among developing countries in the Western Hemisphere.

Data map: A military parade and parade were held at the Revolution Square in Havana, Cuba, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Cuban Armed Forces.

　　Few countries can grow tenaciously under decades of Western blockade and sanctions, but Cuba has done it.

This country not only adheres to the road of socialism, but also has achieved miraculous leading achievements in the field of biomedical technology.

　　De Freitas pointed out to reporters from Chinanews.com that Cuba has suffered 60 years of blockade and embargo by the United States, and has been facing complex challenges. It needs to continue to find ways to grow the economy, improve living conditions, and improve welfare levels. In terms of development, there is still a long way to go.

　　At the same time, he believes that Cuba is an island resort with great tourism potential, and it can better rely on tourism to develop its economy and get more extensive development in terms of infrastructure, roads, and hotel facilities.

"Cuba can learn a lot from China"

　　Facing the extremely complex and severe political and economic situation, Dias-Canel pointed out that Cuba will use China as a model to creatively face challenges and achieve the goal of building socialism.

　　"Cuba can learn a lot from China's policy transformation represented by reform and opening up and socialism with Chinese characteristics," de Freitas said. Cuba can "improve its political and economic system" and "achieve a more Great material wealth and economic growth".

　　As an example, he said, if Cuba adopted the economic policies implemented by China, increasing foreign direct investment and increasing productivity, the country "could undoubtedly develop better economically."

On November 25, President Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and Cuban President Díaz-Canel, who was on a state visit to China.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Du Yang

　　On the other hand, inter-party exchanges have always been the feature and pillar of the development of relations between China and Cuba.

After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of documents on inter-party exchanges and consultation mechanisms between foreign ministries.

　　The China-Cuba Joint Statement also pointed out that the Chinese Communist Party and the Cuban Communist Party are the leadership cores of their respective socialist causes.

The two parties are willing to continue to strengthen institutionalized exchanges, strengthen exchanges on carrying out socialist construction in line with their respective national conditions, learn from each other, and constantly enrich the connotation of exchanges.

　　De Freitas noticed this aspect.

He said that as far as Latin America and the Caribbean are concerned, Cuba can more clearly recognize the role of its own political system in the local area.

"Considering the current wave of leftism sweeping Latin America," Cuba "has enormous growth potential and can play an important role" in the region.

China enables 'unprecedented growth' in Latin America

　　The friendly cooperation between China and Cuba is a microcosm and a bright spot of the active development of relations between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries.

　　In this meeting with Cuban leaders, President Xi pointed out that the current political landscape in Latin America and the Caribbean is undergoing a new round of profound adjustments.

China attaches great importance to the development of China-Latin America relations, and is willing to work with Latin American and Caribbean countries including Cuba to further promote the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and promote the China-Latin America comprehensive cooperative partnership of equality, mutual benefit and common development to be better in the new era. development, and better benefit the people of China and Latin America.

　　As early as 2014, President Xi proposed for the first time that China and Latin America should work hard to build a community of shared future.

In recent years, China and Latin America have deepened cooperation in various fields and sought common development. In the face of the new crown epidemic, the two sides have joined hands to fight the epidemic and stand together in the same boat, vividly interpreting the allusion often quoted by President Xi-"Those who share a common goal are not far away from mountains and seas." .

　　De Freitas felt deeply about this.

He told reporters that Latin America and the Caribbean's vast territory, fertile arable land, means that it can provide "unrivaled rich agricultural and mineral resources".

Although these countries were colonies of the West in the past, their economies are still developing.

　　However, both domestically and internationally, the region still suffers from a severe lack of infrastructure such as freight logistics, hindering countries from achieving more significant economic growth and development goals.

Data map: The headquarters of the Latin American Congress in Panama City, the capital of Panama, the "China Pavilion" jointly built by the Information Office of the State Council of China and the Latin American Congress was completed and an unveiling ceremony was held.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Yu Ruidong

　　For better development, Latin American and Caribbean countries have found a reliable partner for growth and economic cooperation - China.

　　De Freitas explained that the partnership with China is “very welcome” locally because the goods produced in Latin American and Caribbean countries are in synergy with China rather than competition.

The synergy of this partnership between China and Latin America has driven "unprecedented growth" in Latin America and the Caribbean.

　　He further stated that the best lesson that Latin American and Caribbean countries should learn from China is how China achieves economic prosperity, technological progress, and subversive achievements in education investment, thereby occupying a unique position on the "global chessboard".

　　“China has demonstrated that with proper planning and a commitment to long-term outcomes, a single generation can completely change a country’s destiny,” concludes de Freitas.

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