Chinese President to Visit Cuba in July
HAVANA TIMES — Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Cuba as part of a tour of Latin American countries in July, when he will also attend the Brics Summit (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in Fortaleza, Brazil, scheduled for July 15.
Professor Wang Youming, director of the Department of Studies of Developing Countries of the Chinese Institute of International Studies, told Prensa Latina that this will be the first visit by the Asian leader to Cuba since taking office last year.
Youming said China has lessons for Cuba to help it to avoid the same mistakes? These include a worsening environmental imbalance between urban area and rural areas, and the widening gap between social classes.
But Moses, you and I both know that when Maduro is eventually booted out the alternative Venezuelan leadership will cease the support for Cuba and their current rate of inflation will be the major cause for concern. Either Raul or more probably Diaz-Canel will be seeking another wet nurse. The Castros were not too independent to accept the USSR or Venezuelan support.
My own view has been that the potential trigger point will be in four years time when Venezuela is due to have an election and Raul is due to make the handover having completed his second five year term. Regarding the Chinese, two outstanding characteristics are firstly and as I think your comments indicate, the Chinese are only concerned about Chinese interests and secondly they have extraordinary political patience.
It is not in the Chinese DNA to act as wet-nurse to Cuba. Firstly, please note that China, well able to do so for a number of poor satellite Asian countries has never economically sustained another state to the same extent Venezuela sustains Cuba. Secondly, the Castros are far too independent to toe the Chinese line even if help were offered. The Chinese operate behind the scenes and largely through economic channels. The Cubans love the spotlight. Thirdly, the Chinese, like the US, are more likely to wait it out on Cuba. They have had their fill of aged leaders and realize that the next few years in Cuba will be years of change. Finally, the US would never abide a “too close” relationship between China and the US. The Chinese, understand the strategic risks associated with that alliance.
President Xi is closing the socialist dooor after the capitalist horse has bolted. His own family (niece) is one of the multi millionaire class. To talk now of the widening gap between the social classes is a bit mealy mouthed. Cuba has only two social classes, the party members – including the military, and the mass of Cubans living in poverty. That poverty has apparently been acknowledged by First Vice-President Diaz-Canel when urging Cubans to be virtuous. Cuba has heavy debt with China – buying buses and awful Geely cars on credit. No doubt President Raul Castro Ruz is hoping that when (not if) Maduro’s Venezuelan regime falls that China will become the next benefactor to sustain socialismo in Cuba.