2016年CRI China-Cuba relations at a historic high level: Chinese Ambassador to Cuba

 

Premier¹ Li Keqiang's visit to Cuba comes as the country moves towards a less a less isolated² status and just over a year since its normalization³ of bilateral⁴ relations with the US.

Earlier this week, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid a one-day visit to the Caribbean country with which Japan has had very little ties up to date.

Although the situation has turned for the better, there are still many challenges for Cuba, a country in transition.

The US is still imposing⁵ it's Cuban trade embargo⁶ at this point.

Cuba also has to deal with a series of social and economic changes as it integrates into the international community, much as China did just a few decades ago.

Chinese Ambassador to Cuba Zhang Tuo says the timing⁷ of Premier Li's visit is a manifestation⁸ of China's willingness to help Cuba towards development and also to boost their 56-year-old bilateral relations to a higher level.

"Our bilateral relations are embracing many breakthroughs and new opportunities. We are having more high-level dialogues and gaining deeper mutual⁹ trust at the political level. We are expanding areas for cooperation. There is a growing interest in the Cuban market among Chinese business people. Furthermore, we are having closer people-to-people ties."

There are more than 50 Chinese enterprises running businesses in Cuba today, not a huge number in comparison with Chinese investment in some other developing economies.

But Ambassador Zhang suggests that there is great potential for Beijing and Havana to strengthen economic ties, especially in sectors¹⁰ such as renewable energy, tourism, pharmaceuticals¹¹, infrastructure¹² development, and agriculture.

"I think there are a few reasons why I am confident about the future of economic relations between China and Cuba. First of all, we have the political will to boost bilateral trade and investment. Second, the two economies are highly complementary. Plus, both need to develop. Cuba's opening-up and economic development will need support from China, both financially and technically¹³."

A key basis for steady, long-term, business ties is having a better understanding of each other, not only politically and economically, but culturally as well.

This year marks the first-ever China-Latin America Year of Cultural Exchange, a Chinese government-sponsored program which will involve nearly 30 Latin American countries through 2016.

Cuba was the first country to react after the program officially kicked off in Beijing in January.

Ambassador Zhang says Cuba has been very active in engaging in the project.

"The Confucius Institute here in Cuba organized a cultural event in exactly the same week as the Year of Cultural Exchange formally started. That was a good beginning to the project. One thing I need to point out is now more and more Cuban artists, like musicians and dancers, are traveling to China as part of their show tours."

Under a scholarship program sponsered by the Cuban government, more than 3-thousand Chinese students attended the University of Havana, Cuba's most prestigious¹⁴ institution of higher learning over the past decade.

1 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

2 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

3 normalization   

n.（normalisation）正常化，标准化

参考例句：

• The visit signalled the normalization of relations between the two countries.这次访问显示两国关系已经正常化。
• He was pleased to the normalization of relationship between the police and the people.他很高兴警方和人民之间关系的正常化。

4 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

5 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

6 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

7 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

8 manifestation   

n.表现形式；表明；现象

参考例句：

• Her smile is a manifestation of joy.她的微笑是她快乐的表现。
• What we call mass is only another manifestation of energy.我们称之为质量的东西只是能量的另一种表现形态。

9 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

10 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 pharmaceuticals   

n.医药品；药物( pharmaceutical的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the development of new pharmaceuticals 新药的开发
• The companies are pouring trillions of yen into biotechnology research,especially for pharmaceuticals and new seeds. 这些公司将大量资金投入生物工艺学研究，尤其是药品和新种子方面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

13 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

14 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。