The meeting took place in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, according to Chinese official media. The signing of cooperation papers between the two leaders occurred the day before at a trade show.
Marrero’s visit takes place at a time when Cuba’s economy, which depends mostly on imports of gasoline, food, and other necessities, is on the verge of collapsing due to a more than 50% fall in export revenue, which is required to pay for imports. The Cuban government attributes the country’s economic decline to COVID and US sanctions.
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The state media noted that the Chinese president said, “China will continue to firmly support the Cuban people, oppose foreign interference and the embargo, and safeguard (Cuba’s) national sovereignty and dignity,” Xi said, according to state media.
Foreign dignitaries, including Marrero, attended the International Import Expo (CIIE) opening ceremony in Shanghai. The International Import Expo (CIIE) is a week-long trade show where nations and businesses frequently strike deals that lead to the second-largest economy in the world purchasing more of their goods.
According to a state media source, Chinese and Cuban officials signed a number of unclear collaboration papers after meeting with China’s Premier Li Qiang during the CIIE.
XI told Marrero, “It is hoped that Cuba will continue to make good use of the important platform of the CIIE to bring more of its products to the China market.”
President Miguel Diaz-Canel informed China’s Xi that relations were at an “all-time high” in August, while the two countries were attending the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg. Cuban authorities frequently hail their relations with China as “outstanding” or “historic.”
However, many are skeptical that China can strengthen its ties with the politically isolated island nation or take major action to assist it, in part because Cuba is unable to repay any loans that China may be ready to make.
However, China stands to gain a great deal diplomatically and strategically from its backing of Cuba.
A report from June stated that China and Cuba had come to an agreement for the establishment of an electronic listening post on the island, which is located around 100 miles away from Florida in the United States. China refuted the report’s veracity.
