Posted on 02/28/2003 7:32:58 AM PST by tallhappy
Friday, February 28, 2003
Cuba's leader receives pledge of economic aid
NAILENE CHOU WIEST in Beijing
Signalling socialist solidarity, China spread out the welcome mat for Cuban communist leader Fidel Castro yesterday, pledging economic aid to the Caribbean nation in a time of heightened international tension.
Greeted by President Jiang Zemin, Dr Castro said Cuba attached great importance to its relations with China.
Dr Castro has looked to China's economic transformation as a model in reforming the struggling Cuban economy. During his last visit to China in 1995, he toured Shenzhen accompanied by Mr Jiang.
"[Former paramount leader] Deng Xiaoping once said the market economy is a tool," said Jiang Shixue, the deputy director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "Castro agrees with that."
In Beijing, Dr Castro also met other Chinese leaders amid a transition at the top. These included Vice-President Hu Jintao, National People's Congress chairman Li Peng, Premier Zhu Rongji and Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao. Mr Li and Mr Zhu are expected to step down after the annual session of the National People's Congress starts next week.
Dr Castro is the longest-serving leader on the world stage. He came to power after a revolution in 1959.
The bearded Cuban leader in his army fatigues is a familiar figure to many Chinese who regard him as a romantic revolutionary hero.
"For many Chinese, Castro is admired for standing up to the US," Professor Jiang said.
There was also sympathy for the Cuban people who have endured a lengthy American economic embargo, he added.
Professor Jiang said Dr Castro might not approve of China aligning its economic and strategic interests with the US, but he was in no position to be critical of the Chinese. Both China and Cuba strongly deny a military alliance between them, as alleged by the American media.
Dr Castro told Mr Jiang that Cuba had made progress in industrial restructuring.
The Cuban economy struggled after the collapse of the Soviet Union, which used to provide Cuba with petroleum. Between 1991 and 1994, Cuba's GDP fell by 35 per cent.
Partially filling the vacuum left by the Soviets, China provided Cuba with trade credit and aid. Cuba sells China sugar and some minerals, while China exports cereal and light industrial goods. The China Daily put bilateral trade at US$446 million (HK$3.47 billion) in 2001.
The two leaders last met in April 2001 when Mr Jiang was on a tour of Latin America.
Dr Castro started his Asian trip by visiting Vietnam, where he received a hero's welcome, and then to the Non-Aligned Nations summit in Malaysia where he denounced US moves towards what he called "almost certain and unnecessary" war against Iraq.
The Cuban leader is due to visit Nanjing and Shanghai today, before heading for Tokyo.
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