Premier Li Keqiang Meets with First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel

On the afternoon of November 25, 2022, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council met with First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez at the Great Hall of the People during his visit to China.

Li Keqiang said that China and Cuba enjoy a profound traditional friendship and have always been committed to mutual trust and close coordination. He noted that General Secretary and President Xi Jinping's talks with President Díaz-Canel have given a strong boost to the development of relations between the two parties and between the two countries. The Chinese side always attaches great importance to developing China-Cuba relations and will continue, as always, to support Cuba in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions. China will maintain close high-level exchanges between the two sides, expand practical cooperation in various fields, continue mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and work for new progress in China-Cuba relations.

Li Keqiang pointed out that at the recent 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), strategic plans were laid out for building China into a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China is ready to work with Cuba to seek greater synergy between development strategies and increase exchanges on governance experience, and China will continue to do its utmost to assist and support Cuba. It's important to make good use of mechanisms such as the Intergovernmental Economic and Trade Mixed Committee to promote sustained growth of bilateral trade. While deepening cooperation in traditional areas such as agriculture and infrastructure, efforts should be made to actively explore new areas of cooperation such as e-commerce and clean energy to achieve win-win results. More Cuban specialties are welcome to enter the Chinese market.

Díaz-Canel once again extended congratulations on the success of the 20th CPC National Congress, and thanked China for its strong support for Cuba in safeguarding national sovereignty and independence, achieving economic and social development and fighting the pandemic. He expressed readiness to deepen cooperation with China in such key areas as economy and trade, finance, fishery, digital economy, clean energy and infrastructure. He said that by deepening cooperation, the two sides can better cope with complex situations and severe challenges, and bring bilateral relations to a new height.

Wang Yi and He Lifeng, among others, were present at the meeting.