Your Excellencies, Foreign Ministers and Heads of Delegations;
I thank the Government of the People's Republic of China for the warm welcome and the organization of this important Forum. Our gratitude also goes to Colombia, President Pro Tempore of CELAC, for its leadership and skillful conduct of the preparatory process.
The theme of this debate, “Planning together for development and revitalization, building together the China-Latin America and Caribbean States community of common destiny,” could not be more relevant in a complicated global situation marked by the United States' attempts to reshape the international system and political, economic and trade relations on the basis of pressures, blackmail, threats and the imposition of tariffs and other punitive and intimidating mechanisms.
The CELAC-China Forum, created as a result of the agreements adopted at the Second Summit of our Community in Havana in 2014, has been enriched over this decade as an effective space for coordination and strengthening of relations between China and the region. It has proved its strategic importance and practical usefulness in advancing our development goals and corroborated the possibility and the mutual benefits of building together a community of shared future for humanity.
At present, most of the countries in our region have established diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China, based on mutual respect, and maintain cooperative relations with this friendly country, which have been beneficial to our peoples. In contrast, the government of the United States promotes trade and tariffs wars at a global level, especially against China, and threatens countries that legitimately have economic development projects with companies from that country.
In the particular case of Cuba, we have been victims, for more than 60 years, of the genocidal economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States, which in recent years has been escalated to unprecedented levels, with the arbitrary inclusion of our country in the spurious list of States that allegedly sponsor terrorism, among other measures.
Excellencies;
Cuba is proud to have been the first Latin American and Caribbean country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, which mark their 65th anniversary this year.
At multilateral fora we have reiterated our firm rejection of actions aimed at harming the territorial integrity and sovereignty of China and reaffirmed our unwavering support to the “one China” principle.
Our bilateral relationship with China is an example of what can be done in terms of South-South cooperation. Based on mutual respect, sovereign equality, complementarity and solidarity this cooperation has made it possible: to develop joint projects in the areas of biotechnology, which save lives in Cuba, China and the world; to develop renewable energies, which is key to our energy sovereignty; to train Cuban professionals in Chinese universities, thus strengthening our national capacities.
We would like take this opportunity to recognize the efforts of the Chinese government, especially its ‘Belt and Road’ and ‘Global Development’ initiatives and the CELAC-China Cooperation Plan 2022-2024, which have made it possible to implement projects of high social and economic impact, in line with the legitimate interests and aspirations of the nations of the South. We must translate our words into concrete projects, accessible financing and dynamic cooperation mechanisms.
As our President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated in this same Forum, and I quote: “China and Latin America and the Caribbean are partners down a common path towards development, convinced that unity amidst diversity is our greatest strength to build a multi-polar and just world”. End of quote.
Today that path has a name: community of shared future; and Cuba is ready to walk along that path together with you. Let us build together a more just and equitable world, where the development aspirations of our nations are not a pipedream, but a right evidenced in the wellbeing of our peoples.
Thank you very much.
(Cubaminrex)