Source: Cuban National Assembly, 16/07/2022.
China and Cuba have agreed to continue working together, close fraternal friends, in strengthening bilateral and inter-parliamentary relations, and in regional and international forums.
During a fraternal and fruitful virtual meeting between Yolanda Ferrer Gómez, president of the International Relations Commission of the National Assembly of People’s Power, and Zhang Yesui, head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of the People’s Republic of China , addressed issues of mutual interest, aspects of the work agenda for the coming months and other issues on the world stage. “I want to reiterate, first of all, the strength of the bonds of friendship and solidarity that unite our peoples and, therefore, the Assemblies that we represent.
Mutual political trust and multifaceted cooperation characterize our relations,” said Yolanda Ferrer Gómez at the beginning of the exchange.
In this sense, he pointed out, among the last milestones of the ties, the telephone conversations held between the respective First Secretaries of the Party and Presidents of both nations, as well as by other Party and Government authorities at the highest level.
He also mentioned the relevance for the development of bilateral ties of the visit of the head of the Cuban Parliament, Esteban Lazo, to China in 2016, his virtual meeting with the President of the APN, Li Zhanshu, and the videoconference between the vice presidents of both legislative bodies recently.
“I wish to wholeheartedly thank the Chinese Government for its unwavering position in support of our Resolution against the blockade in the United Nations General Assembly, as well as the solidarity, support and donations received from the Asian country in the face of the serious situations we have faced, as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global economic crisis, aggravated in a colossal and perverse way, in our case, by an unprecedented intensification of the genocidal blockade imposed by the United States Government, which the Biden Administration maintains with all crudeness,” he stressed.
In turn, Ferrer Gómez denounced that the US blockade is the main obstacle to the development of our economy and a brutal violation of the basic human rights of our people. He insisted that both Assemblies can play a much more effective role in promoting everything possible in terms of economic, commercial and financial relations between the two nations.
In this regard, he proposed to hold the First Bilateral Conference in person between both legislative bodies, a virtual bilateral meeting between both Parliamentary Friendship Groups and videoconferences between the directors of the respective commissions.
Lastly, the President of the International Relations Commission of the National Assembly of People’s Power reaffirmed her unequivocal position of support for the One China principle and of condemning interference in its internal affairs, both in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang.
In his speech, Zhang Yesui thanked the possibility of holding the meeting for its significance for the consolidation of the inter-parliamentary agenda. China and Cuba are good friends, benchmarks in friendship and cooperation before the world, whose bilateral ties remain at a high level, he acknowledged.
Likewise, he stressed that both parties must continue to strengthen mutual political support, taking into account that the two countries defend Socialism, guided by their Parties and in the face of US hostility. In addition, he called for deepening cooperation in various areas, based on the high economic complementarity and potential for bilateral cooperation.
In this sense, he mentioned the wide opportunities of the Belt and Road in terms of collaboration in various sectors, for the sake of reciprocal benefit for both peoples. He called to continue working together for the maintenance of peace and development, multilateralism and the defense of International Law in global and regional forums.
Continue consolidating the bonds of brotherhood and mutual respect
Subsequently, Alberto Núñez Betancourt, secretary of the International Relations Commission of the Cuban Parliament, stated that the ties of brotherhood and mutual admiration between the Cuban and Chinese peoples are based on history, the revolutionary spirit and the defense of sovereignty that animate and embodied as vanguard our communist parties and governments.
“The independence and self-determination achieved by both nations is expressed day by day against the interference of hegemonic powers headed by the United States,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, Fu Ying, vice president of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee, recalled her visit to Cuba in 2016, strongly rejected interference in the internal affairs of our country by the United States and reiterated her support for the just struggle of the Cuban people in defense of its independence and sovereignty.
She, in turn, ratified the invariable position of rejecting the US blockade and praised the relevant work of both Parliaments in defense of sovereignty and against unilateral sanctions.
Finally, Joaquín Bernal, Vice President of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Commission, and Chen Fuli, member of the APN Foreign Affairs Committee, addressed topics of interest regarding the legislative work and the experiences of both parties. The respective ambassadors of both nations also participated in the virtual meeting.
[English translation by China Environment Net]
Source: Cuban National Assembly, 16/07/2022. https://www.parlamentocubano.gob.cu/noticias/cuba-y-china-continuaran-trabajando-juntos-como-pueblos-hermanos
Autor: Enrique Moreno Gimeranez, Director of Communication of the Auxiliary Offices of the National Assembly of People’s Power.
Fotos: Tony Hernández Mena