China has called on the United States to immediately end all blockades and sanctions on Cuba under any pretext, and to do more to help improve relations with Cuba and enhance regional peace and stability, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.
Mao made the remarks in response to a U.S. announcement imposing visa restrictions on officials and their family members from African countries, Brazil, Cuba, Grenada, as well as former officials and their family members of Pan American Health Organization involved in the Cuban Government's overseas medical missions. The U.S. also stated its commitment to ending Cuba's overseas medical missions as an exploitative behavior of forced labor, warning countries cooperating with Cuba to "think twice."
"According to statistics of the government of Cuba, during the past 60-plus years, Cuba has sent over 600,000 medical personnel to over 60 countries, provided medical services for over 230 million people and performed over 17 million operations and surgeries, which saved the lives of more than 12 million people. Cuba's overseas medical cooperation plays an important role in the health systems of Latin American and Caribbean countries as well as African countries, and is welcomed by the governments and peoples of the relevant countries. The so-called 'forced labor' has become a false pretext and tool of hegemony for the United States to suppress other countries. Relevant measures taken by the U.S. are an extension and escalation of its over 60 years of unpopular sanctions and blockade on Cuba. Political figures and people from all walks of life in relevant regions have expressed their clear opposition or concern," Mao said.
"China opposes coercive diplomacy and urges the U.S. to immediately stop the blockades and sanctions on Cuba in any name and do more things that help improve relations with Cuba and promote regional peace and stability," she added.
China urges U.S. to immediately lift sanctions against Cuba
