Xi Jinping acclaims Fidel Castro on his centenary

A number of international political events have taken place in Cuba to mark the August 13 centenary of the birth of Fidel Castro, the founder of socialist Cuba and one of the outstanding figures in the history of the international socialist movement and of human history in general. The events acquire particular significance as they take place in the midst of an intensified genocidal blockade of the heroic socialist island imposed by US imperialism.

Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), led a Communist Party of China delegation primarily to attend the First International Colloquium “Fidel, Legacy and Future” hosted by the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) on August 10.

Immediately prior to the opening of the event, Liu met with Miguel Diaz-Canel, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and Cuban President.

Diaz-Canel asked Liu to convey sincere greetings from Cuban Revolution leader Raul Castro and himself to General Secretary Xi Jinping and expressed gratitude to General Secretary Xi and the CPC Central Committee for attaching importance to and supporting Cuba’s commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Comrade Fidel Castro. Diaz-Canel stated that the visit by the Chinese cadres represents firm support for Cuba during a difficult time and embodies the fraternal friendship between the two Parties, the two countries, and two peoples. He thanked the CPC, the Chinese government, and people for the long-term support and assistance for Cuba. Cuba stands ready to work with China to further advance the special and friendly relations between the two Parties and the two countries. Attaching great importance to learning from the CPC’s successful experience in party governance and state administration, particularly the experience in reform and opening up, Cuba is ready to deepen exchanges and mutual learning with China to better advance Cuba’s economic and social transformation.

Liu conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes from General Secretary Xi Jinping to Raul Castro and Diaz-Canel and handed over a letter signed by General Secretary Xi Jinping addressed to them. Liu stated that General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee attach great importance to the commemorative events marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of Comrade Fidel Castro and have specifically dispatched a CPC delegation to Cuba to attend these activities. China and Cuba are good friends, good comrades, and good brothers. Having withstood the test of over six decades of a changing international landscape, the relations between the two countries have become a model of solidarity and cooperation among socialist nations and of sincere mutual assistance among Global South countries.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the colloquium, Liu first read out the personally signed letter from General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping to Cuban Revolution leader Raul Castro, and Miguel Diaz-Canel, First Secretary of the PCC Central Committee and Cuban President, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fidel Castro. He emphasised that Fidel Castro was an outstanding leader of the PCC and the cause of the Cuban revolution, who devoted his entire life to the magnificent cause of the Cuban people’s struggle for national liberation, safeguarding national sovereignty, and building socialism. He made immortal historic contributions to the Cuban people as well as to the development of the world socialist cause. Fidel Castro was the founder and promoter of China-Cuba relations and made historic contributions to the development of bilateral relations. It was precisely thanks to his vision and foresight and personal efforts that Cuba became the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Through the long-term joint efforts of both sides, China-Cuba relations have become a model of unity and cooperation among socialist countries and of sincere mutual assistance among Global South countries. Under the current complex and volatile international situation, China firmly supports Cuba in exploring a path of socialist development suited to its own national conditions, firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding national sovereignty and security and opposing foreign interference.

Liu said that today, the profound changes unseen in a century are accelerating, hegemonism and unilateralism are running rampant, conflicts and confrontations are occurring one after another, and the peace deficit, development deficit, security deficit, and governance deficit continue to widen. As we recall Comrade Fidel Castro, it is not only to remember those arduous yet heroic years, but also to carry forward his ideals and spirit and to continue forging ahead on the new historical journey. The more turbulent and intertwined the world becomes, the more we must build confidence and strengthen solidarity and coordination.

More than 1,000 representatives from Marxist parties, left-wing parties, and political organisations from over 60 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe attended the event. During it Liu also had extensive exchanges with delegates from various countries.

The previous day, Liu met with Roberto Morales Ojeda, Member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organisation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba.

He said that China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding national sovereignty and security, opposes foreign interference, and will, as always, provide assistance within its capacity. In the face of the profound changes unseen in a century, the CPC is ready to work with the PCC to continue making good use of the institutionalised platforms for inter-party exchanges, deepen strategic communication and mutual learning of experience, jointly advance the socialist cause in their respective countries, and contribute to the development of the world socialist cause and the progress of human civilisation.

Morales stated that in recent years, First Secretary Miguel Díaz-Canel and General Secretary Xi Jinping have met on multiple occasions and reached important consensus, drawing up a blueprint for the development of the special friendly relations between Cuba and China in the new era. Cuba is currently facing difficulties and challenges, and he thanked the CPC, the Chinese government, and the Chinese people for always standing with the Cuban people and providing Cuba with firm political support and valuable assistance. Cuba congratulated the CPC on its 105th anniversary and the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March and admired the tremendous development achievements of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Liu also met with Emilio Lozada García, Head of the International Relations Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba.

Liu said that the two countries have set an example of solidarity and cooperation among socialist countries and sincere mutual assistance among countries of the Global South. Under the strategic guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping and First Secretary Miguel Diaz-Canel, relations between the two Parties and the two countries have reached an unprecedented new height. China has always viewed and grasped China-Cuba relations from a strategic height and a long-term perspective, and will, as always, adhere to the policy of long-term friendship with Cuba, support Cuba in pursuing a socialist path, promote practical cooperation between the two countries, and work with Cuba to safeguard international fairness and justice and oppose hegemony and power politics.

He added that this year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the CPC and the first year of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, while the PCC is solemnly commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Comrade Fidel Castro, giving the occasion profound significance. In the face of changes in the world, the times, and history, the CPC is ready to work with the PCC to jointly implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two Parties and the two countries, maintain the good momentum of high-level exchanges, conduct in-depth exchanges of experience in party governance and state administration, strengthen cooperation in cadre training between the two Parties, and intensify exchanges between the functional departments of the two Parties, so as to continuously deepen and solidify the special friendly relations between China and Cuba and jointly promote the development of the world socialist cause.

Lozada warmly welcomed the CPC delegation’s visit to Cuba and attendance at the First International Colloquium “Fidel, Legacy and Future”, stating that Cuba is currently at a critical juncture of revolution and construction, and the CPC delegation’s visit is of special significance to Cuba. He thanked China for the valuable support and assistance it has provided to Cuba over the years. The relationship between the two Parties is the cornerstone of Cuba-China relations. Cuba deeply cherishes its special friendly relations with the CPC and is ready to further strengthen institutionalised exchanges between the two Parties, make good use of platforms such as the theoretical seminars between the two Parties, deepen mutual learning of experience in state governance and administration, promote practical cooperation in various fields through inter-party channels, and make greater contributions to building a Cuba-China community with a shared future.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel delivered the keynote speech at the opening of the international colloquium.

He noted that Fidel “taught us that the struggle for the preservation of the environment and the human species is also a socialist battle, that science must be at the service of the people, that the unity of revolutionaries is more important than any tactical difference.”

He had left us: “The legacy of intellectual audacity: Fidel was a tireless reader, a man who dialogued with scientists, economists, artists, athletes and peasants. He taught us that socialism is not a dogma, but a science under construction, which must be adapted to concrete realities without renouncing principles. Today, when digital capitalism imposes new forms of alienation on us, his call to study, study, resonate as a warning: there is no revolution without knowledge!

“The legacy of internationalism: Fidel did not understand the Cuban Revolution as an isolated event. For him, homeland was humanity. That is why he supported the causes for the liberation of the African peoples, of Palestine, he denounced apartheid and genocide; he raised his voice against the war in Iraq and against the blockade and colonial appropriation of any people in the world.

“The legacy of revolutionary optimism: Fidel was never a pessimist. In the darkest days, when the socialist camp was collapsing and the blockade was intensifying, he maintained his faith in the human being and in history. He taught us that revolutionary optimism is not naivety, but unshakable conviction in victory… he was a master of the guerrilla struggle that led us to the triumph of January 1, 1959. A profound scholar of contemporary military art who made real contributions to the conception of the most important military conflicts developed in our internationalist missions. The battle of Cuito Cuanavale, personally led by the Commander in Chief, showed his qualities as a military strategist. He conceived the doctrine of the War of All the People.”

He identified four principles in Fidel’s system of work:

• The priority of the political. Every economic decision is a political decision.
• The tactical-strategic sequence. Tactics change, principles do not: sovereignty, social justice, anti-imperialism, internationalism, solidarity.
• Popular mobilisation as a strategic resource. The discipline and participation imposed from above is fragile; discipline and popular participation assumed collectively is indestructible.
• Innovation under restriction. Scarcity is not just a lack; it is a stimulus for creativity.

“Fidel understood, like few others, the need to articulate ideological firmness with tactical flexibility. He taught us that ‘Marxism-Leninism is not a dead doctrine; it is not a catechism, but a method, a guide, an instrument to concretely solve the problems of life.’”

The Cuban president and party leader noted: “We are gathered here today, a few hours before August 13, the date on which our Commander in Chief would have turned 100 years old, not to celebrate a ritual commemoration, but to fulfill a duty: the duty to think of Fidel not as the past, but as a strategist beyond his time. Think of his legacy not as a repository of quotes to evoke on anniversaries, but as a guide to overcome the challenges we have in front of us today, in the real Cuba, in 2026.

“We cannot talk about Fidel without looking at the world that he studied so much and that we inherited; And the world, as he used to say, is a whirlwind of contradictions. The systemic crisis of capitalism has reached its most acute point: regional wars that threaten to expand, a climate crisis that is no longer a forecast but a daily catastrophe, famines caused by financial speculation, forced migrations that turn the seas into cemeteries, and a social fracture where the wealth of a few accumulates on top of the misery of the many.

“The international order is in dispute. Imperial unilateralism seeks to impose its law by force, but the multipolar world is here to stay. However, the empire redoubles its attacks, seeks new pretexts, manufactures enemies and destabilises governments that do not bow down.

“On this global chessboard, Cuba continues to be one of the favourite targets of imperial fury. It is no coincidence that in the year of Fidel’s Centennial, Washington has intensified its offensive… the blockade has been reinforced with extraterritorial measures that pursue trade and financial relations; arbitrary inclusion in the list of state sponsors of terrorism, a historical irony for a country that has been a victim of state terrorism for decades; massive media campaigns that try to paint Cuba as a ‘failed regime’, while keeping quiet about the achievements of our health, education, culture, science and sports, and, to top it off, they have invented the ridiculous accusation of ‘espionage power’ or focus of subversion of the so-called terrorist radical left – of which it seems that all of us who are here are part; A pathetic and fanciful name, only credible in their twisted minds, but which they use to confuse, justify more punishments and legitimise their aggressions…

“I am not exaggerating when I say that this colloquium is being held at one of the most difficult moments that the Revolution has experienced, but we are not here to manage nostalgia. We are here because Fidel Castro’s thought continues to be the most accurate compass we have to navigate the storm that the Cuban people are experiencing! And the storm is real, our people live it every day: in the blackouts that interrupt family life, the working day, the learning of our children and young people; in inflation that erodes the purchasing power of wages; in the fuel shortage that paralyses the economy and transportation; in the difficulties in completing the basic basket; in the emigration that takes away young people. We are not here to deny that reality, but to understand it in its proper dimension and to find in Fidel’s thought the keys to transform it…

“Let me conclude as Fidel said more than once: ‘We are willing to resist the imperialist blockade with dignity and self-denial for as long as necessary. If others compromise, if others allow themselves to be bribed, if others betray, Cuba will know how to stand as an example of a revolution that does not give up.’”

The full text of President Diaz-Canel’s speech may be read here.

Among other key guests at the centennial and related events were:

• Dr. Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare, Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia;
• Bounleua Phandanouvong, Special Envoy of the General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Comrade Thongloun Sisoulith, and Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the LPRP;
• Vu Hai Ha, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Vice President of the Commission on Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly of Vietnam;
• Mikhail Shvydkoy, Presidential Envoy for international cultural cooperation of the Russian Federation, who presented a message of greetings to the Cuban leadership from President Vladimir Putin; and
• Walter Baier, President of the Party of the European Left, along with the leaders of many parties who had attended the 24th International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties, held in Havana, August 7-9.

Meeting with Diaz-Canel on August 10, the Namibian Prime Minister said: “We feel your pain… We cannot forget when Cuba was on our side and then it was not fashionable to be.” He noted that Cuba lost more than two thousand of its children in the battles for the independence of the sister peoples of the mother continent. “In any circumstance, we will be on Cuba’s side.”

The following articles were originally published on the IDCPC website.