The Government of China has returned to the rescue of Cuba amid the worsening economic crisis on the island and growing pressure from Washington.
This Tuesday it emerged that Chinese President Xi Jinping approved emergency aid for the Caribbean country, which includes financial assistance of 80 million dollars and a donation of 60 thousand tons of rice.
This was communicated by Beijing’s ambassador in Havana, Hua Xin, to the Cuban president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, during a meeting held at the Palace of the Revolution.
The million-dollar financial assistance will be used for “the acquisition of electrical equipment and other urgent needs that the country has,” according to the Cuban Presidency.
| The President received @DiazCanelB to the ambassador of #ChinaHua Xin.
The diplomat reported on the delivery to the Island of emerging financial assistance valued at 80 million dollars and a donation of 60,000 tons of rice.
| https://t.co/c6Ttc1xkVe pic.twitter.com/L7AV61kgte
— Presidency Cuba (@PresidenciaCuba) January 20, 2026
According to Hua
For this, he said, it was agreed with the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment to establish an executing company. The press report does not offer more details on this matter.
Help after help
According to the official report, in his meeting with the Chinese diplomat Díaz-Canel he highlighted “the intense activity” that he has been carrying out these days on the island, and in particular he referred to the delivery ceremony, this Monday, of the first part of a donation of 30 thousand tons of rice.
This donation, of which 4,800 tons arrived and the rest is expected in the first months of the year, had previously been approved by the Government of the Asian country.
Although the information from the Cuban Presidency does not specify it, the new aid must be added to this, which would now be 90 thousand tons recently allocated by Beijing to Cuba.
The note does not detail how or when the arrival of this new donation would occur.
China donates 30 thousand tons of rice to Cuba, which will be distributed “immediately and free”
Cuba is going through a serious economic situation, marked by a shortage of basic products, such as food and medicine, in addition to an energy crisis due to lack of fuel and frequent breakdowns in its electricity generation plants that have been in operation for decades, causing prolonged daily blackouts.
Added to the economic crisis that affects the island is strong inflation, economic contraction and growing dollarization due to the conjunction of the COVID-19 pandemic, the tightening of United States sanctions and the impact of failed economic and monetary policies.
The national economy contracted 1.1% in 2024 and has suffered a cumulative fall of 11% in the last five years, according to official data.
Havana and Beijing maintain close political and economic relations in which the Asian country stands out as one of the island’s main allies.
EFE / OnCuba
