Cuban President Díaz-Canel said on Sunday (May 24) that 15,000 tons of rice donated by the Chinese government have arrived at Havana port.
According to AFP, this batch of rice is the first installment of the 60,000 tons of rice China has promised to donate to Cuba. Cuba is currently facing a severe food shortage problem.
Díaz-Canel wrote on the X platform: “This noble act of solidarity will benefit millions of consumers across all provinces and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud, as well as our medical and educational institutions.”
This Caribbean communist country has been subject to a U.S. trade embargo since 1962, which is widely seen as the cause of Cuba’s long-standing shortages of food and medicine.
In January this year, after the U.S. overthrew Venezuelan leader Maduro and began to dominate that country’s energy policy, Cuba also stopped receiving oil supplies from its ally Venezuela. At the same time, the U.S. threatened sanctions against any nation selling oil to Cuba.
The report states that this has effectively created an energy blockade, significantly worsening the power outage issues that have long plagued Cuba.
Referring to the rice donation on the X platform, Díaz-Canel wrote: “At this critical moment, the sincere friendship and cooperation that unite us are further strengthened.”
The report states that this has effectively created an energy blockade, significantly worsening the power outage issues that have long plagued Cuba.
Referring to the rice donation on the X platform, Díaz-Canel wrote: “At this critical moment, the sincere friendship and cooperation that unite us are further strengthened.”
Chinese Ambassador to Cuba Hua Xin said on Cuban television that these 60,000 tons of rice represent “the largest-scale food aid provided by China to Cuba in recent years.”
According to the official website of the Chinese Embassy in Cuba, last Saturday (23rd), Hua Xin attended the handover ceremony at Havana port for the first batch of 15,000 tons of rice as part of the emergency food aid project for Cuba. Hua Xin stated that this batch of food aid is an important component of China’s overall assistance measures to Cuba, and a concrete manifestation of both countries standing together and sharing weal and woe under the current complex circumstances.
Hua Xin said that China will unswervingly promote practical cooperation between China and Cuba, and firmly support Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and national dignity.
Previously, after the United States filed criminal charges such as murder against former Cuban leader Castro, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it opposed the abuse of judicial measures to pressure Cuba and called on the U.S. to stop its frequent use of force for intimidation.