Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel vowed that Cuba "will never succumb" to decades of U.S. blockade and sanctions, condemning Washington's policy as imperialist in an interview with China Media Group.

He said the United States has long underestimated Cuba's ability to uphold sovereignty and pursue progress, attributing the blockade to a persistent belief in the universality of American values and a discomfort with nations that chart independent paths.