Premier calls for advancing ties with Cuba

Long-term friendship between the two socialist nations will not change, Li says

Premier Li Qiang called on Monday for strengthened strategic coordination and pragmatic cooperation between China and Cuba to make joint efforts to build a China-Cuba community with a shared future.

Li, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remark while meeting with a delegation of the Communist Party of Cuba, or PCC, led by Roberto Morales Ojeda, a member of the Political Bureau and secretary of organization and cadre policy of the PCC Central Committee.

Noting that both China and Cuba are socialist countries and that China attaches great importance to the development of China-Cuba relations, Li said that China is willing to work with Cuba to faithfully implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, deepen friendship, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation to further advance bilateral ties.

The premier said that no matter how the international situation may evolve, China's policy of long-term friendship with Cuba will not change, the determination to support Cuba in taking the socialist path will not change, and the direction of promoting pragmatic cooperation between China and Cuba will not change.

He called for efforts to strengthen strategic coordination between the two countries to firmly safeguard world peace, uphold fairness and justice, and practice multilateralism. He also underlined the need to deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields, implement the plan of Belt and Road cooperation, and constantly transform high-level political mutual trust into more pragmatic results.

China and Cuba should strengthen exchanges and mutual learning of modernization experiences, jointly explore the path to promoting modernization and continue to seek happiness for their peoples, Li added.

Morales said the relationship between the two parties serves as a major cornerstone of bilateral ties.

The PCC is willing to enhance inter-party exchanges, learn from China's experience in fields such as party building, reform and opening-up, and poverty eradication, facilitate pragmatic cooperation, and jointly promote the socialist cause and the development of Cuba-China relations, he said.

Cuba firmly pursues the one-China principle and supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by China, and is ready to shore up multilateral coordination with China to jointly promote world peace, development and justice, Morales added.

On Monday, Morales also held talks with Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.