China–Cuba relations

Cuban–Chinese relations are the interstate relations between the People's Republic of China and Republic of Cuba. The origins of the relations began when the Qing dynasty established a consulate in Havana while Cuba was a still a colony of Spain in 1879. In 1902, the Qing dynasty recognized the independence of the Republic of Cuba from the United States, which had taken it from Spain in 1898. Cuba recognised the PRC in September 1960. The relations are based on trade, credits, and investments, which have increased significantly since the 1990s. China is Cuba's second largest trading partner after Venezuela. At a ceremonial trade gathering in Havana in early 2006, China's ambassador to Cuba said, "Our government has a firm position to develop trade co operation between our countries. The policy, the orientation, has been determined. What's left is the work to complete our plans." Although both Cuba and China are ruled by a communist party, they were on different sides during the Cold War, with Cuba being an ally of the Soviet Union, which China usually opposed following the Sino Soviet Split. China and Cuba experience good mutual relations, including through being members of the Belt and Road Initiative. China has partnered with Cuba to upgrade the rail network and other initiatives.

In 1912, the Cuban government established relations with the Beiyang government of the Republic of China in Peking. This continued with Nationalist government in Nanking and Taipei after losing most of its territory. Both countries were allies in World War II. In 1960, post revolutionary Cuba shifted recognition to the People's Republic of China. It was the first Latin American country to recognize the PRC. Tensions between Cuba and China remained until the late 1980s. General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Hu Jintao visited Cuba in November 2004, and followed by his successor, Xi Jinping, in July 2014. Chinese personnel have been operating two intelligence signal stations in Cuba since early 1999. Bejucal hosts a signals intelligence listening station operated by the People's Liberation Army Third Department of the Joint Staff Department. Cuba was one of 53 countries, that in June 2020, backed the Hong Kong national security law at the United Nations.

After Cuba's 1960 recognition of the People's Republic of China, China became a major rice exporter to Cuba. Bilateral trade between China and Cuba in 2014 totaled US$1.6 billion. China is sending a growing amount of durable goods to Cuba. Chinese goods have become the primary tools both in the planned revitalization of Cuban transport infrastructure and in the Energy Revolution of 2006 to provide electricity to the Cuban population. In 2010, China became Cuba's second largest trading partner. As of early 2006, Cuba had signed a contract for 1,000 Chinese buses for urban and inter provincial transportation.

The Cuban government is replacing older appliances with newer, more energy efficient models, including (as of early 2006) 30,000 Chinese refrigerators.

China has been a key partner in the development of Cuba's domestic solar panel production. It has provided Cuba with training, technology, and extended credit to Cuba to assist in this process. The company also has a contract for joint production in one of Cuba's offshore areas of high potential yield, off the coast of Pinar del Río, but had done no off shore drilling as of mid 2008. Great Wall Drilling has provided drilling rigs for oil exploration on Cuba's north coast.

China has an embassy in Havana. Cuba has an embassy in Beijing and consulates general in Guangzhou and Shanghai.