The 10th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of Solidarity with Cuba was held in Beijing, October 29-30. It was the first time for the conference to be held in China. Hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), it also formed part of the celebrations marking the association’s 70th founding anniversary.
The conference called on the United States to lift its crippling blockade on the socialist island as well as its designation as a supposed “terrorist state”. Sun Yi, Deputy Director of the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in his address:
“These measures have profound consequences for the people and affect all sectors, including the most sensitive ones, such as health, food and energy.”
Opening the conference, Fernando González, President of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), and one of the ‘Cuban Five’ political prisoners held in a US jail from 1998-2014, thanked delegates for all their work in support of Cuba. He underlined the historic ties between China and Cuba, which date back 177 years to the first arrival of Chinese immigrants. Cuba was the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, following the socialist revolution led by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, and today China is Cuba’s largest export market.
Dong Huy Cuong, Vice-President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUOFO), also said that their two countries have close bonds, having “shared the experience of facing a powerful adversary.” Cuba, “inspired others to stand up for national independence. We will never forget Fidel Castro,” who during Vietnam’s ultimately successful struggle against US imperialism declared, “for Vietnam, Cuba is ready to shed its blood,” and was the only head of state ever to visit the liberated areas in south Vietnam.
Senior delegates also attended from old friends of Cuba, Laos and Vietnam, while the largest number of delegates from outside China came from Japan. In all, around 70 delegates from 16 countries and 36 organisations in the Asia-Pacific region participated in the conference.
Speaking to the Cuban news agency Prensa Latina, Edwin De la Cruz, President of the Philippines-Cuba Friendship Society, highlighted the importance of an international movement in support of the Cuban people. “We cannot depend only on governments, it must be a movement of the people, in the streets, in the communities and in the workplaces, because that is the true strength of the international movement against imperialism and all forms of unilateral sanctions.” He also called for unity between countries such as Venezuela, Iran, Nicaragua and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The meeting also included exchanges of criteria on the best practices of parliamentary groups in solidarity with Cuba, cooperation in support of economic development and the practice of multilateralism to build a community with a shared future.
Among the instances of Cuban international solidarity for which delegates expressed their gratitude were the provision of vaccines and medicines to Cambodia particularly during the COVID pandemic, a literacy program for First Nations in Australia and earthquake relief in Nepal.
The final declaration of the conference declared: “All of us here consider it imperative to strengthen unity, support and cooperation in building a peaceful world with a shared future among our nations. We therefore declare our joint commitment to… support and defend the Cuban Revolution at every opportunity in all possible situations, in our countries, as a demonstration of respect, admiration and solidarity with the dignified Cuban people, starting with practical actions.”
It also called for “an immediate and lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip of Palestine, an end to actions that escalate tensions, and measures to alleviate the humanitarian disaster in Gaza,” and said in conclusion:
“We express our special congratulations and deepest thanks to the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) for the warm hospitality and excellent organisation for the 10th Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba. In the year of the commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the founding of CPAFFC, we would like to extend our best wishes to the Chinese people engaged in national defence and construction.”
We reprint below the full text of the final declaration. It was originally published on the website of the Cuban Foreign Ministry.
The Movement of Solidarity with Cuba of the Asia-Pacific region has held its 10th Regional Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba from 29 to 30 October 2024, in Beijing, People’s Republic of China, with the participation of 70 delegates from 16 countries, representing 36 organizations and groups of friendship and solidarity.
During the discussion sessions, delegates unanimously supported the international demand for an end to the unjust and criminal policy of blockade imposed by the United States Government on the Republic of Cuba for more than six decades, and demanded that Cuba be removed from the unilateral list of countries that sponsor terrorism, since this false accusation represents the main obstacle to the economic and social development of the Cuban people.
All of us here consider it imperative to strengthen unity, support and cooperation in building a peaceful world with a shared future among our nations. We therefore declare our joint commitment to:
- To support and defend the Cuban Revolution at every opportunity in all possible situations, in our countries, as a demonstration of respect, admiration and solidarity with the dignified Cuban people, starting with practical actions.
- To demand the immediate permanent, total and unconditional lifting of the economic, financial and commercial blockade, as well as the removal of Cuba from the list of countries allegedly sponsoring terrorism, a measure which increases trade restrictions, hampers economic and social development, creates hardships for the Cuban people and harms the interests of other countries and their citizens who seek relations with Cuba, in flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law.
- To continue to defend international peace and security, and the integrity and sovereignty of our nations. Cuba, despite having part of its territory illegally occupied with a foreign military base, is the guarantor of world peace and of the Latin American and Caribbean region which was proclaimed a Zone of Peace in Havana ten years ago.
- To promote actions of solidarity and cooperation among our organizations and peoples that will make it possible to implement development strategies in those countries that need them most, providing resources and equal opportunities for the shared future that we set out following the example of many nations in the region.
- To increase support for the Cuban people in order to benefit health, education and the development of food production systems.
- To promote the work of friendship with the new generations, as faithful followers of the dreams of internationalism, collaboration and solidarity among peoples, enhancing the role of graduates of educational institutions in Cuba.
- To organize activities during 2024 and 2025 to accompany ICAP in the international events it convenes and organizes, inside and outside Cuba, with the aim of honoring its mission of solidarity as it reaches its 65th anniversary; as well as disseminating the thought and historical legacy of Commander Fidel, the political and ethical paradigm of the peoples of the world in the defense of life and friendship, on the centenary of his birth.
- To call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip of Palestine, an end to actions that escalate tensions, and measures to alleviate the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
We express our special congratulations and deepest thanks to the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries ( CPAFFC) for the warm hospitality and excellent organization for the 10th Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba. In the year of the commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the founding of CPAFFC, we would like to extend our best wishes to the Chinese People engaged in national defense and construction.
