Fidel Castro Hosts Chinese Prime Minister
HAVANA TIMES — Cuban President Raul Castro headed off to Cartagena, Colombia on Sunday to be present for today’s official signing of that country’s peace accords. Meanwhile, his chief adviser, Fidel Castro, 90, who no longer travels, received the visit of Chinese Prime Minister Li Kequiang at his home in Havana.
Raul Castro had met with Li the previous day to discuss increased cooperation and trade between the two countries led by Communist Parties. They oversaw the signing of dozens of new accords, reported Granma newspaper.
The photo-op of Li, dressed in a dark suit and tie, and Fidel, in his now traditional Adidas sports outfit, was captured by Alex Castro, Fidel’s son, who serves as an official Cuban government photographer.
Fidel and Li reminisced on what is today considered the long friendship between the two countries noting the establishing of diplomatic relations back in 1960. The fact that Cuba supported the Soviet Union in its rivalry with China was not mentioned.
Granma noted that Fidel Castro also showed the Chinese delegation some of the experiences he is promoting to increase agricultural production in Cuba, which still imports most of its food.
Much of the Chinese loans to Venezuela are structured with repayment in oil. These payments were a good deal when oil prices were over $100 per barrel. But at current prices around $45 per barrel, the Chinese are forced to accept a lot more low-grade oil which increases their refinery costs and lowers the initial attractiveness of the loans.
I love dim sum. Peking duck tends to be too greasy for me.
Are you joking? Do you really want to compare the list of world leaders who have visited Obama to the leaders who have visited the Castros? Really?
I don’t doubt that the Chinese delegation was satisfied with their visit. They arrived with low expectations and their expectations were met. I am hardly “thrashing”. However I am pleased to know that you have high expectations from me. Excellent judgement.
Some interesting comment in the Chinese press. From the China Daily Newspaper. “He Shuangrong, a researcher of Latin American studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the fact that Chinese leaders meet Fidel Castro every time they visit Cuba shows the strong ties between the two countries. Both countries are Socialist countries. Their ties are those between good brothers and good partners” Adding “That the two countries not only have growing economic relations but also lend each other political support”..
I know, Carlyle, that reporting like this is hard for you to swallow. Especially coming from China. .
On the bright side, their China towns give us access to great dim-sum and Peaking Duck!
The Chinese are still smarting from their investments in Venezuela. From what I’ve read they’ll probably leave Venezuela to wither on the vine by refusing to sink any more money into that failed country. They are unlikely to want to repeat that experience in Cuba.
You ask Gordon who paid for Mariel – the answer is Brazil – $5 billion. You claim that 100 million Chinese will vacation “outside of Cuba”. One assumes that that is because they prefer other destinations – capitalist countries – they get enough of communism at home – why go to Cuba?
An official statement, released to-day, says that in a lively dialogue on Sunday afternoon, the Chinese head of Government expressed satisfaction with his first visit to Cuba. He also expressed his admiration for Cuba, for its patriotism and its achievements. Moses, you’re just thrashing around in the dark. I expected better. Very disappointing.
You should pay more attention when you cut and paste. I bet that you meant to say “100 million Chinese will vacation outside of China”. I am very familiar with the Chinese settlement in Cuba. As is common all over the world for Chinese immigrants, they tend to remain separate from the society of the host country. They form “Chinatowns” and resist social and economic integration. As a result, their large numbers do not correlate to a like economic impact for their hosts. Chinese communities are known to even prefer to import food and clothing from China as opposed to buying local. They avoid paying taxes to the greatest possible extent and access Chinese doctors and go to Chinese schools.These are facts. Another factor is that Mariel Port was financed with the backing of the Brazilian government. The Chinese have a minor role in this white elephant project. Finally, about that boat you boastfully claim that the United States has missed? It’s a sinking boat.
At long last Fidel Castro Ruz at age ninety has developed a sense of humour bordering upon the farcical.
The final paragraph of the report is well worthy of repetition:
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“Granma noted that Fidel Castro also showed the Chinese delegation some of the experiences he is promoting to increase agricultural production in Cuba, which still imports most of its food.”
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The Castro brothers having held dictatorial powers for almost fifty eight years are now going to reverse the decline in agricultural production which has been ever increasing due to their incompetence. The description of having Fidel Castro as “chief advisor” can provide little brother Raul with some excuses for all his errors and omissions. He would be well advised to look at another President who similarly has used Fidel as a chief advisor and reaped the consequences – Nicholas Maduro.
There is an implication in the insertion of the word ‘still’ before “imports most of its food. one wonders what percentage of Cuba’s food was imported prior to the Castros gaining control.
Don’t you just hate it when all these world leaders travel to Cuba to see Fidel and Raul. Why can’t they go and see Obama instead.. So frustrating.
At one time there was over 100,000 Chinese in Cuba. Who paid for Mariel Port and the $700 million Melia Marina Varadero complex. ?I believe a lot will come out of this meeting. This year over 100 million Chinese will vacation outside of Cuba. Uncl;e ” Rip Van Winkle ” Sam have missed the boat – Si !!!
Todo BS. The Chinese have no emotional ties to Cuba. Economically the Chinese have stretched themselves thin in Latin America. Cuban ties are a low priority.