China has donated some $100 million to Cuba during an official visit by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel which has just ended in the country, Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Alejandro announced on Saturday. Gil.
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During the official discussions that Díaz-Canel held on Friday with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, “the Chinese side made a gift to our country of the order of 100 million dollars,” said Mr. Gil, in statements made public by Cuban television.
The one who is also Minister of the Economy stressed that this donation was intended in “priority” for the economy of the island, which is facing its worst economic crisis in three decades, and caused by the strengthening of the embargo. of the United States, in force since 1962, and the consequences of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The Cuban president concluded an official visit to China on Friday, part of an international tour that has taken him to Algeria, Russia and Turkey with the ambition of strengthening the critical electric power sector, which has suffered since May from a severe production crisis resulting in power outages and fuel shortages.
Alejandro Gil announced that during the visit, the two countries signed “twelve legal instruments”, some of which are “related to the reopening of new financing” for Chinese investments in Cuba.
The parties also discussed the “theme of the debt” that the island has accumulated during “these (recent) years” with China, the amount of which has not been revealed.
“Our president explained the situation we are facing, the Chinese side has shown understanding and we will see everyone’s positions together to find formulas acceptable to each country, to ensure order and the restructuring of debts. added Mr. Gil.
China is the island’s second largest trading partner, following Venezuela, and an important political ally.
During Miguel Díaz-Canel’s visit to Algeria in mid-November, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced the resumption of fuel supplies to Cuba, the donation of a solar power plant and the cancellation of interest on the Cuban debt, including the amount was also not disclosed.
