Xi eyes permanent friendship with Cuba

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Monday that he highly values the unique friendship between China and Cuba and stands ready to help make the two countries good friends, good comrades and good brothers forever.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in congratulatory messages exchanged with Raul Castro Ruz, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel to celebrate the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.

In his message to Castro, Xi noted that Cuba is the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and that bilateral ties have over the past 60 years withstood the vicissitudes of the international situation and grown ever stronger.

Political mutual trust between China and Cuba has been continuously deepened and bilateral practical cooperation has yielded fruitful results, Xi said, adding that the two countries have stood together and joined hands to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which has raised their traditional friendship to a higher level.

Stressing that he highly values the unique China-Cuba friendship, Xi said he is willing to maintain close communication with Castro and take the 60th anniversary as an opportunity to help the two countries stay as good friends, good comrades and good brothers forever.

In his congratulatory message to Diaz-Canel, Xi said that since the two countries established diplomatic ties 60 years ago, China and Cuba have forged a profound friendship with mutual understanding, mutual trust and mutual support.

In recent years, China-Cuba friendly cooperation has been deepening in an all-round way, including active collaboration under the Belt and Road Initiative, which has brought concrete benefits to the people of both countries, Xi noted.

In the fight against the coronavirus disease, China and Cuba have stood together and helped each other, writing a new chapter in the friendship between the two peoples, Xi added.

He said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Cuba relations, and stands ready to work with Diaz-Canel to continuously deepen political mutual trust and expand practical cooperation in various fields, so as to create more benefits for both countries and their people.