At 18 p.m. on September 28, at the invitation of Ambassador Pereira, President Li and company went to the Cuban Embassy in China to attend a reception to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cuba.

Other VIPs also attending the reception were Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi, Vice Minister Mrs. Shen Beili of CCP Liaison Department, Mr. Ning Jizhe, Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Cheng Fengxiang, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Mr. Qiu Yuanping, Deputy Director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Mr. Huang Xueping, Vice Chairman of the International Military Cooperation Office of the Central Military Commission, Mr. Wang Shouwen, Vice Minister of Commerce, Mr. Zhang Jianmin, General Manager of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, Mr. Li Shaoping, Vice President of the Supreme People's Court, Mr. Zhang Jinliang, Chairman of China Post Group, etc.

Foreign Ministers Wangyi and Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla of Cuba and Cuban Ambassador to China Carlos Miguel Pereira delivered speeches respectively, expressing their warmest congratulations on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. The Cuban side said, the comradeship and brotherhood between Cuba and China have withstood the test of time and history. Over the past 60 years, the two countries have joined hands to cope with hardships, and seen deepening high-level exchanges, strategic cooperation, and economic and trade exchanges. The two countries have firmly supported each other in multilateral occasions, becoming an example for relations between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries. The Cuban side thanks the Chinese side for its valuable support and help in fighting COVID-19. Bilateral anti-epidemic cooperation benefits the people and fully demonstrates the superiority of our systems. The development of the Belt and Road Initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean and the strengthening of the mechanism of the cooperation forums between China and Latin America bring key opportunities to Latin American and Caribbean countries. The Cuban side strongly condemns interference in China's internal affairs including Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong. The Cuban side expressed its firm adherence to the One China principle. The Cuban side is willing to take the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cuba as a new starting point, and work with the Chinese side to continuously expand pragmatic cooperation in all fields, hold high the banner of opposing hegemonism, unilateralism and protectionism, safeguard the authority of the UN, firmly defend the international law, and cooperate closely on international affairs, so as to push Cuba-China relations to a new level.

In his speech, Minister Wang Yi said, in the past 60 years since the estabishment of the diplomatic relationship, China and Cuba have become good brothers helping each other, good and like-minded comrades and good friends with mutually beneficial cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations 60 years ago. The two countries have firmly supported each other in defending our sovereignty, independence and national dignity, and supported each other's national development and construction. Both countries have fought side by side in the fight against COVID-19, setting an example for the joint response to the global crisis. The two countries share similar ideals and beliefs, and are both committed to the just cause of safeguarding world peace and promoting development of mankind. China has become Cuba's largest trading partner in goods, and Cuba is China's second largest trading partner in the Caribbean region, and an active practitioner of the Belt and Road Initiative in Latin America. It’s reported that China has become the second largest trading partner since the establishment of diplomatic relationship, and Cuba has also become the stable supplier of sugar, nickel, lobster, rum and cigar on the China market, and has also supplied highly effective innovative biotechnology primary products.

Wang Yi pointed out, standing at a new historical starting point, the Chinese side is ready to work with the Cuban side to speed up the implementation of the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, constantly deepen political mutual trust, and constantly expand cooperation in breadth and depth, so as to promote China-Cuba traditional friendship to produce new outcomes and better benefit the two peoples. The international community, including China and Cuba, should jointly uphold international fairness and justice, oppose power politics and external interferences, jointly defend and practice multilateralism, and safeguard the international system with the United Nations (UN) at its core, so as to jointly contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

During the reception, Mr. Li socialized with old friends from CCP Liaison Department, China Post Group and China Tobacco Monopoly and renewed friendship with ambassadors of Suriname, Peru and Bahamas.