The two-day Summit of the Group of 77 (G77) and China concluded last Saturday in Havana, Cuba, with a call for more participation and say of the Global South in the global governance system.

China and other developing countries are working hand in hand to promote the further development of South-South cooperation.

After attending the G77 plus China summit, Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, paid an official visit to Cuba from Saturday to Monday and met with a slew of Cuban leaders, vowing to deepen practical cooperation in various fields, and support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests.

Profound China-Cuba friendship with solid mutual support

Cuba is the first country in the Western Hemisphere to establish diplomatic relations with China.

When visiting Raul Castro, the leader of Cuba's socialist revolution, Li, also secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said that the traditional friendship between China and Cuba was forged and carefully cultivated by the older generation of leaders of the two countries.

In 2022, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel paid a state visit to China, and the two sides issued a joint statement on deepening China-Cuba relations in the new era.

"China stands ready to promote the development of the respective party building and socialist cause," Li said during a meeting with Diaz-Canel.

Under the framework of the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China and Cuba have deepened exchanges and expanded practical cooperation in fields such as energy, agriculture, bio-medicine, science and technology, education and culture over the years, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries put the safety of people's lives first and carried out fruitful anti-pandemic cooperation. When the pandemic situation in Cuba was severe, China provided urgently needed supplies such as ventilators, oxygenerators, food and medicine.

Thanking China for its assistance to Cuba's economic and social development and firm support for the Cuban people's just struggle against unilateral blockade and sanctions, Diaz-Canel vowed to maintain close friendly exchanges with the CPC and promote practical cooperation.

During the meeting with Roberto Morales Ojeda, a member of the Political Bureau and secretary of organization of the PCC Central Committee, the two sides agreed to strengthen political mutual trust and strategic coordination, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, and strengthen exchanges and mutual learning on governance and experience sharing and cooperation in party management and the fight against corruption.

The two sides also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between China's National Commission of Supervision and the Office of the Comptroller General of Cuba.

Advancing South-South cooperation to build community with shared future for mankind

As a member of the Global South family, China has been actively carrying out South-South cooperation and contributing to the common development of developing countries.

China has provided development assistance to more than 160 countries, worked with more than 150 countries on the joint construction of the BRI, and promoted the cooperation on the Global Development Initiative (GDI) with over 100 countries and international organizations.

Meanwhile, China has set up a Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund with a total funding of $4 billion.

"The fund provides unconditional development assistance to a number of developing countries with no interference in other countries' internal affairs, playing an important role in establishing a more equitable and just new international economic and social order," Cuban ambassador to China Alberto J. Blanco Silva said.

"China has firmly stood with the Global South nations and effectively safeguarded the common interests of developing countries," Diaz-Canel told Li.

Calling for joint efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind, Li said China is willing to work with Cuba to promote the implementation of the GDI, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.