This year marks the tenth anniversary of the visit to Cuba of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of the Republic, Xi Jinping. We still vividly remember the touching scene of the President's cordial meetings with revolutionary leaders Fidel Castro and Raul Castro, and with the current President Miguel Díaz-Canel, on the eve of the anniversary of July 26, 2014.
The President Xi Jinping also visited Santiago de Cuba, the Hero City, accompanied by comrade Raúl Castro, on the Chinese special flight. He toured the former site of the Moncada Barracks and had a close interaction with the Cuban people on the balcony of the second floor of the City Hall, where the Commander-in-Chief proclaimed the victory of the Cuban Revolution.
This historic visit has become an everlasting memory in the history of China-Cuba relations.
A SOLIDARITY AND COOPERATION EXAMPLE
The leaders of the two countries personally outlined the master plan for the development of relations between the two Parties and countries, indicating the direction of binational relations and playing a strategic role as a compass.
In the past ten years, China has made historic progress and undergone profound changes. It has also been a decade in which China-Cuba relations have become more vibrant and prosperous.
Moreover, during this period, the sincere friendship has deepened, mutually beneficial cooperation has developed, and the two countries have become very close partners in reform and development. China-Cuba relations are already an exemplary case of solidarity and cooperation among socialist countries and sincere mutual support among developing countries.
China and Cuba share the same social system, similar ideals and beliefs, and the same aspirations for development and prosperity. They are on the road of socialist modernization with their own characteristics.
In November 2022, President Díaz-Canel became the first leader of a Latin American and Caribbean country to visit China after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). During this exchange, he reached an important consensus with President Xi Jinping on joining efforts to build a community of shared future between China and Cuba, and from there the relationship was elevated to a higher level.
The recently held Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee drew up a systematic strategic plan to further deepen reform in a comprehensive way and promote Chinese-style modernization. It issued a strong call for a new expedition.
At almost the same time, Cuba held the 8th Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, and the Third Ordinary Session of the National Assembly of People's Power. Both sides are planning the development of their respective Parties and countries, which will inject new impetus into the development of China-Cuba relations in the next stage.
The Third Plenary Session of the CPC Central Committee set the goal of basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035, focused on implementing major reform measures in the next five years, and proposed more than 300 measures centered on building a high-level socialist market economy.
It also predicts to build systems and mechanisms to support comprehensive innovation, promote high-quality development that provides a strong impetus and institutional guarantee for the realization of Chinese-style modernization.
The session emphasized that opening up is a distinctive symbol of China's modernization, which fully demonstrates China's determination and responsibility to share opportunities with the world.
China will improve its system and mechanisms in high-level outward opening, integrate more proactively into the international economy, and release more opening dividends to the world. China's development will benefit not only the Chinese people, but also the people of the global South and other countries of the world.
As the most important partner of Latin American and Caribbean countries, China will pay more attention to cooperation with Cuba and other countries in the region in the field of innovation, give more support to sharing the results of scientific and technological development, and give new impetus to economic and trade cooperation between China and Latin America and the Caribbean, helping cooperation in traditional fields to expand steadily into areas of new energy, digital transformation and cross-border e-commerce for the greater benefit of the two peoples.
China and Cuba are fellow travelers in socialism, good partners in common development and excellent comrades in strategic coordination.
As I arrive in Cuba to assume my new post on the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's visit to Cuba, I deeply feel that I am carrying out a glorious mission and a great responsibility.
I am willing to work with Cuban comrades to fully implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, inherit the special friendship and promote the navigation of a China-Cuba community of shared future.
* Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of Cuba.
