Chinese and Latin American socialists meet and honour the achievements of Fidel Castro.
On 27 November socialists from China and Latin America met in China at the fifth Forum on the Left and Socialism in Latin America and the Caribbean and honoured the achievements of Fidel Castro who died one year ago. The article below from Prensa Latina reports the meeting.
The great respect of China for Fidel Castro, and of Fidel Castro for China, is of course in direct contradiction to any claims that China is a capitalist country. No capitalist country pays such respect to Fidel Castro, and Fidel Castro said of Xi Xinping: ‘‘Xi Jinping is one of the strongest and most capable revolutionary leaders I have met in my life.’
The photo below is of Xi Jinping bowing at the Cuban embassy in Beijing last year to honour the death of Fidel Castro. Below the article from Prensa Latina is the article from Chinese official news agency Xinhua on the visit of Xi Jinping to the Cuban Embassy in Beijing on the occasion of Fidel Castro’s death.
The event that was held in this capital had several moments and brought together former ambassadors of this country on the island, representatives of the ruling Communist Party, scholars and members of the diplomatic corps of Havana here, an official note confirmed.
The former officials spoke of their experiences with Fidel while they were in Cuba and other personalities of the academic sector of China analyzed his political, economic, and social thinking.
The Forum was organized by the Institute of Latin American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in coordination with the Cuban embassy.
This celebration took place as part of the homage paid in China to the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution on the occasion of the first anniversary of his death, which occurred on November 25, 2016.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said Comrade Fidel Castro, founder of the Communist Party of Cuba and Cuba’s socialist cause, was a great leader of the Cuban people.
“He is a great figure of our times, and his immortal historic contributions to the world’s socialist development and support for the cause of justice for all countries will be forever remembered,” Xi said.
Xi said he went to the embassy to show that “the Chinese party, government and people stand together with the Cuban party, government and people at this special moment.”
“I believe that under the strong leadership of Comrade Raul Castro, the Cuban party, government and people will carry on the will of Comrade Fidel Castro, turn sorrow into strength and continue to make new achievements in national construction and the development of socialism,” he said.
Calling Fidel Castro the founder of Sino-Cuba relations, Xi said the Chinese people have lost a “close comrade and sincere friend.”
He noted that Cuba was the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic relations with China, and there is special friendship between the two nations.
Xi said China will work more closely with the Cuban comrades to carry forward the friendly relationship between the two parties as well as the two nations to fulfill Fidel Castro’s will.
The newly appointed Cuban Ambassador to China, Miguel Angel Ramirez Ramos, expressed sincere thanks for Xi’s condolences on behalf of the Cuban party, government and Raul Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba.
He said Xi’s presence showed the friendship between the two countries and the high level of their relationship.
Ramirez said the Cuban party and government will carry on Fidel Castro’s work to continuously push forward the development of Cuba-China ties.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, top legislator Zhang Dejiang, top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng, and former Chinese leaders Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao also sent wreaths to the Cuban embassy.