Urgently In Need of a New Lifeline, Raúl Castro Visits China and Vietnam

Urgently In Need of a New Lifeline, Raúl Castro Visits China and Vietnam
/ Yoani Sánchez
Translator: Unstated, Yoani Sánchez

Raúl Castro arrived in China this week as part of a four day trip and
today, Saturday, he will visit Vietnam. This is the first official visit
to both nations since the younger Castro officially assumed the
presidency of the Island in February 2008. After meeting in Beijing with
Chinese President Hu Jintao, both leaders signed a total of eight
documents, including accords and memoranda of understanding.

Significant among these are a loan from the China Development Bank
focused on improving medical facilities in Cuba, and an agreement on
agricultural cooperation. The details have not been made public and we
do not know the amount nor the terms of the loan that was signed by
Juliana Maritza Martínez director of the National Bank of Cuba and Chen
Yuan, president of the Development Bank of China.

For their part, Cuban Vice President Ricardo Cabrisas and Chinese
Commerce Minister Chen Deming endorsed two agreements of economic and
technical cooperation, which include interest-free loans and grants. The
amounts of these agreements also have not been made public. Also notable
among the documents signed was a memorandum on customs cooperation which
will be in effect from 2013 to 2015. According to the Chinese president
himself, this official visit of President Raul Castro "will be a great
boost to exchanges and cooperation between the two countries to take
these bonds of friendship to higher levels."

The Cuban president's trip has been surrounded by speculation about the
urgency of attracting investment from China and Vietnam. This is
happening at the exact moment when the situation of Hugo Chavez in
Venezuela has caused Havana to rethink its dependence on Caracas. Since
taking power, Fidel Castro's younger brother has pushed through a series
of openings focused on the economy. Among the main pillars of the
so-called "Raul reforms" is the development of the small private
business, known euphemistically in the largest of the Antilles as
"self-employment."

The former Minister of the Armed Forces has said on several occasions
that he wants to implement a copy of the Chinese model in Cuba, one that
combines flexibility in the productive sphere with strong political
control. Thus, his journey through these Asian countries is one way to
see with his own eyes the scope and limits of such a system. Analysts
agree that strong financial imperatives are weighing on the inhabitant
of the Plaza of the Revolution, and have compelled him to undertake this
journey.

Raúl Castro met Friday with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping. This
meeting could have been intended to establish links with the future
leaders of China, as Xi will be promoted in October to General Secretary
of the Communist Party. In March 2013, he will also assume the
presidency of the Asian giant, replacing Hu Jintao in both positions.
Highlights of the tour have also included talks between the Cuban
president and Wen Jiabao, Chinese Prime Minister and Vice Premier Li
Kegiang. During the exchange Li himself said that "China attaches great
importance to developing Sino-Cuban relations and always addressed them
from a strategic and long term point of view."

On Thursday night Caribbean visitors were entertained with a banquet at
the Great Hall of the People, near Tiananmen Square. At dinner Raul
Castro sang a song in praise of Mao Zedong called "The East is Red," in
Chinese. The Cuban leader justified this vocal effort that left him
hoarse by saying that he had "at least the satisfaction that it was done
with a noble purpose." Today, Saturday, he leaves for Vietnam, Cuba's
main supplier of rice. His visit to that nation is also expected to
entail the signing of several trade and economic agreements.

7 July 2012

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