China delivers first batch of emergency rice aid to Cuba

The handover ceremony for the first batch of rice under China's emergency food assistance program to Cuba was held on Monday at a grain transit warehouse of Cuba's Ministry of Domestic Trade.

Attending the event were Cuban Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Oscar Perez-Oliva Fraga; Minister of Domestic Trade Betsy Díaz Velázquez, Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Déborah Rivas Saavedra; and Chinese Ambassador to Cuba Hua Xin, among others.

At the ceremony, Perez-Oliva said that the donated supplies fully reflect China's valuable assistance to Cuba and the deep friendship between the two countries.

In addition to food aid, the two sides have engaged in extensive cooperation in areas such as energy, achieving rapid and effective progress, he said.

Cuba sincerely thanks the Chinese government for its support under the current challenging circumstances, and it is a concrete practice of jointly building a China-Cuba community with a shared future, the Cuban senior official said.

Hua Xin said the assistance not only embodies the profound special friendship between China and Cuba, but also demonstrates the firm conviction of the two sides to stand together through storms and challenges.

"Today, we witnessed the official delivery of the first batch of the emergency food aid assisted by the Chinese government. We believe that through joint efforts, no blockade can extinguish the light of hope, and no difficulty can hinder our progress. China is willing to continue strengthening cooperation with Cuba, overcoming difficulties together, and injecting greater momentum into building a China-Cuba community with a shared future," the Chinese ambassador said.

The total volume of rice assistance under this program amounts to 30,000 tonnes. The second batch has already arrived smoothly at the port of Santiago de Cuba, and subsequent batches are set to be shipped soon.

China delivers first batch of emergency rice aid to Cuba

China delivers first batch of emergency rice aid to Cuba

U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Saturday that there was still the possibility of restarting strikes on Iran if Tehran misbehaves, while the Iranian military responded that its forces remain fully prepared to counter any new "adventures or foolishness" from Washington.

Asked if ​he might restart strikes on Iran before boarding a flight to Miami from Florida, Trump replied "If ⁠they misbehave, if they do something bad, right now we'll see. But it's a possibility that could happen."

According to the semi-official Fars news agency, Jafar Asadi, a senior military officer in Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said on Saturday that a renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is "likely," as evidence shows the United States is not committed to any agreements or treaties. But Iran's armed forces are in full readiness for any renewed adventurism and miscalculation by the United State, he said.

Also on Saturday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed that Iran has submitted a proposal to the United States through mediator Pakistan, which calls for a permanent end to hostilities.

He said that the ball is now in America's court, and it must choose whether to pursue diplomatic channels or continue with confrontation.

Iran is prepared for both scenarios to safeguard its own interests and national security, and in any case, Iran will always maintain its pessimism and distrust of America and its honesty in the path of diplomacy, he said.

The United States and Israel began military strikes against Iran on Feb 28, prompting retaliation from Tehran against U.S. allies in the Gulf region and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8, followed by talks between Iranian and U.S. delegations in Islamabad, Pakistan that failed to produce a deal.

Trump warns of fresh strikes, Iran says fully prepared to counter US new adventures