Bilateral Seminar on Development and Cooperation within the framework of the initiative "The Strip and the Route" for Cuba

From October 1 to 14, 2022, the bilateral Seminar on Development and Cooperation is held within the framework of the "The Strip and the Road" initiative for Cuba. The seminar is taught online by the Center for International Cooperation of the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China in conjunction with the Higher School of State and Government Staff (ESCEG). This seminar is part of the bilateral courses that are developed between the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment of Cuba and the Ministry of Foreign Trade of China. In this course, a group of 40 students from 29 different institutions has been formed with responsibilities in presenting projects and carrying out actions that promote insertion in this strategic international cooperation platform.

The objective pursued by the course is to contribute to promoting and carrying out actions in the One Belt and One Route Initiative between Cuba and China based on the deepening and knowledge of the modalities, mechanisms and successful experiences of said initiative and that At the same time, the deep development of relations between Cuba and China is promoted.

The official inauguration of the course took place on October 3 with speeches by the Rector of the ESCEG, Dr. C. Mercedes Delgado Fernández, and Mr. Song Guoxuan, Director of the Center for International Cooperation of the National Development and Reform Commission of People's Republic of China.

The Rector of the ESCEG took the opportunity to ratify the extraordinary significance of the Memorandum signed in November 2018 by the President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, during his visit to the People's Republic of China with President Xi Jinping, for the promotion initiative of the Silk Road Economic Belt Initiative and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. This course is also part of the Program for the implementation of the cooperation plan for the joint promotion of the Strip and the Silk Road, of which our institution and the other represented institutions are a part.

In turn, the Rector transmitted thanks and recognition to the Center for International Cooperation of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, with whom the Higher School of State and Government Cadres of Cuba has been carrying out training and exchange activities since the year 2017 and congratulated them on the National Day of the People's Republic of China on its 73rd anniversary, celebrated on October 1.

Mr. Song acknowledges that since a long time before the new COVID-19 epidemic, the two sides had carried out in-depth cooperation and held many offline seminars, and especially came to Cuba to organize the seminar. With these seminars we fulfill the commitment of our heads of state and to promote cooperation. Although the seminar organized online we can't communicate face to face, but through this opportunity I hope we can bear fruit to experience China's reality. He thanks the Rector for her efforts for this seminar and all the Cuban friends for their active participation.

Both directors recognized the historical and close relations that exist between our countries, strengthened in these 62 years of diplomatic relations between both countries.