Xi Jinping Approves New Round of Aid from the People’s Republic of China to Cuba

The President of the People’s Republic of China and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping, has approved a new round of assistance to Cuba that includes emergency financial aid valued at 80 million U.S. dollars for the acquisition of electrical equipment and other urgent national needs, as well as a donation of 60,000 tons of rice.

This information was conveyed by the Ambassador of the sister Asian nation to Cuba, Hua Xin, to the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, who received him Tuesday afternoon at the Palace of the Revolution.

The diplomat informed the Head of State that earlier that same day he had received instructions from his government to formally transmit this decision to the Cuban authorities.

Hua Xin referred to the meetings held in recent days between authorities of both countries, including those between the member of the Political Bureau and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, and China’s Special Envoy for Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, Qiu Xiaoqi.

The head of the diplomatic mission also reviewed the meetings he has held with the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga; the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy; and Carlos Miguel Pereira, Director General of Bilateral Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During these exchanges, they addressed Cuba’s economic situation and the current condition of the national electric power system, affected by the blockade—information that the ambassador relayed to his government.

Hua Xin also commented on the decision by the leadership of the sister nation to modify the modalities under which the donation projects of 200 MW in photovoltaic solar energy and the delivery of 5,000 photovoltaic solar panel kits for isolated households were being implemented. In agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, it was determined to designate an executing company for these projects.

Upon receiving the head of the diplomatic mission, Díaz-Canel Bermúdez extended his warmest greetings at this new meeting and highlighted the intense activity carried out by the Chinese ambassador in Cuba in recent days, including the ceremony held on Monday for the delivery of the first portion of a rice donation previously approved by the People’s Republic of China.

The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic underscored the strength of bilateral ties and emphasized the development of Phase Four of the digital transformation program being carried out with Chinese support, as well as the progress achieved in the high-definition television project and other technologies that have advanced as part of this cooperation.