Over 600,000 people in Cuba facing shortages of safe drinking water

China

Over 600,000 people in Cuba facing shortages of safe drinking water

2024-09-15 16:11 Last Updated At：20:37

More than 600,000 people in Cuba are struggling with access to safe drinking water, with authorities ramping up repairs in the breakdown-prone water system to ease the crisis.

Cuban authorities said the current water supply problem stems from breakdowns at water pumping stations due to technical failures and constant power outages.

Access to drinking water has been an issue on the island of Cuba for some time. This has forced people to endure a hot and uncomfortable summer season.

"We have a serious water supply situation. I can't mention a specific district, the water shortage affects us all. I live near here and my case is also critical," said Mario Mustelier, a Havana resident.

"I've experienced difficult times here because water has only been supplied once every four days to this zone. I've had to go to bathe or eat at one of my sons' places, because I live alone here," said Laudelina Piero, another resident in Havana.

Laudelina said water shortages have led her sons to use containers to store water and connect them to the house pipes for some relief.

The island's old thermal power plants have faced fuel supply shortages and equipment failures, causing power outages which affect both the industry and the residents.

After authorities made repairs to water pumping equipment, some districts in Havana have already seen an improvement in access to water.

"The problems seem to be solved. Water supply is returning to normal," said Havana resident Maria Teresa Batista.

Meanwhile, water resources workers are repairing and mounting new pipes and pumps to bring the water supply system back on its feet.

Expert urges China, US to seize window of opportunity to push bilateral ties forward

China and the United States should capitalize on the current window of opportunity in bilateral relations to build momentum and prevent progress from slipping, said David Lampton, former president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping recently concluded a state visit to the U.S. at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump. The two heads of state agreed to build a constructive relationship of strategic stability based on respect, fairness and reciprocity.

The visit comes just months after Trump's China trip in May. The exchange of visits between the two heads of state within six months is considered to be of historic and milestone significance by many analysts.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Lampton quoted a famous 1938 treatise by late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, emphasizing the need to build confidence to seize the opportunity in China-U.S. relations created by the head-of-state diplomacy.

"I was thinking about this Mao Zedong's 1938 'On Protracted War,' and it was in three phases. The first was strategic retreat, then consolidation and then strategic advance. And I think there are people in both our societies that see this current discussion and detente or whatever we might call it, as a pause before strategic advance," he said.

"And so we need to, I think, build confidence that we are not just catching our breath before confrontation, that we're catching our breath to seize opportunity. And I'm pretty sure not everybody in both our societies has that same expectation. And that's why I think window of opportunity, windows close. And I think we either move forward or we're going to move backwards, can't stay in the same place too long," said Lampton.