Cuba-China diplomatic relations: 65 years from history to the future
- samuelsukhnandan
- Sep 29, 2025
- 2 min read
On September 28, Cuba and China celebrated 65 years of diplomatic relations. The steps that both nations have taken on the sovereign path of building socialism reflect their mutual desire for respect, understanding, and support.
Each meeting, visit, and agreement has been an expression of a deep friendship, based on the common values of social justice, and with the guidance of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC).
On the century-long journey that unites the peoples of the two countries, the bonds have grown stronger and stronger: "There was not a single Cuban Chinese traitor, there was not a single Cuban Chinese deserter," reads the monument built in Havana in memory of those who fought for Cuba's independence.
The phrase on the metal plaque is still relevant today. In a sense, it can be interpreted as a prediction of the ties that were forged, and which have led to this friendship being described as "ironclad."
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Sovereignty and self-determination were powerful motivations behind the decision announced on September 2nd, 1960, in the First Declaration of Havana, to establish diplomatic relations with China. To this day, it remains a unique moment in history, with Fidel taking center stage before the people in the iconic Revolution Square.
On September 28th, a Joint Communiqué was signed. Cuba thus became the first country in the Western Hemisphere to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, led by President Mao Zedong.
Ernesto Che Guevara's visit to the Asian giant that same year was a key moment in the history of Chinese-Cuban ties and contributed to the development of a strategic relationship.
In 1993, President Jiang Zemin would be the only head of state to visit the island, in a crucial context, after the collapse of the socialist camp. For his merits, the president was awarded the José Martí Order and years later, the Cuban government described the visit as "an invaluable gesture of brotherhood and confidence in our country's capacity."
The images of Fidel on the Great Wall of China in 1995 are a fundamental part of the shared history. On December 1st, he walked 500 meters of the colossal structure, becoming the international head of state who had reached the highest point. The Commander-in-Chief's confident stride and his ascent of the monument would be a prelude to new bilateral ties.
This was acknowledged in July 2014 by President Xi Jinping: "You are the founder of the causes of the revolution (...) and also of the China-Cuba relationship," he told Fidel during their meeting in Havana. For his part, in a reflection signed in August of the same year, the Commander-in-Chief described the Chinese leader as "one of the most steadfast and capable revolutionary leaders I have ever known in my life."
In 2019, China awarded Army General Raúl Castro Ruz the Medal of Friendship. His three visits to that nation, in 1997, 2005, and 2012, strengthened the bilateral agenda and led to new agreements, consolidating ties in key areas for development and opening new chapters in the friendship between the two countries.
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