Song first conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes from Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President to Raul Castro, First Secretary of the PCC Central Committee and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, saying that the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee is an important meeting held at a historic moment when China is to achieve its first centenary goal and embarked on a new journey of building a socialist modern country in an all-round way. The meeting fully affirmed the tremendous development achievements China has made during the 13th Five-Year period under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, and focused on reviewing and adopting the proposals for the formulation of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. The proposals reflect the will of the whole Party and society, is a guide for China's economic and social development in the next five years and even longer, and showcase the foresight and historical responsibility of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core in planning the future. The people-centered approach is the mainstay and clear direction of the 14th Five-Year Plan. Implementing the new development concept, constructing a new development paradigm, and promoting high-quality development are the keys to understanding the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session. The Fifth Plenary Session will not only inject new impetus into China's economic and social development, but also provide more opportunities for countries in the world, including Cuba.

Song said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cuba 60 years ago, China-Cuba relations have withstood the test of the changing international situation and have become stronger as time goes by. Under the personal promotion of the leaders of the two Parties and the two countries, the political mutual trust between the two sides has been continuously deepened; cooperation in the economic and people-to-people fields has been fruitful; and the two sides have maintained close coordination on international issues. Currently, the international situation is undergoing profound and complex changes. With General Secretary Xi at the core of the CPC Central Committee and as the core of the whole Party, the whole Party and the people of China will surely be able to push forward socialism with Chinese characteristics for even more vigorous progress in the new era. Cuba has embarked on a new journey of socialist development under the leadership of the First secretary Raul. The CPC is willing to work with the PCC to deepen experience exchange and mutual learning on party governance and state administration, strengthen socialist ideals and beliefs, and continue to enrich the connotations and outcomes of China-Cuba cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19, adhere to multilateralism, promote international cooperation, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Yin Yanlin, member of the Central Publicity Group for the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and Vice Minister of the Office of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, gave an in-depth introduction to the 14th Five-Year Plan and the main content of the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, saying that the Plenary Session made a series of new conclusions and arrangements based on the new international and domestic situation facing China, and proposed a series of strategic and innovative measures. And they will vigorously promote China's new historical development and boost the development and prosperity of the world economy.

Machado conveyed the best wishes of First Secretary Castro and President Diaz-Canel to General Secretary and President Xi, and thanked the CPC for briefing the PCC on the main spirit and content of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and spoke highly of China's brilliant development achievements under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, and firmly believed that China will smoothly realize the goals of the 14th Five-Year Plan and achieve an overall victory in socialist modernization. Machado introduced the current situation and main tasks of the PCC, as well as the preparations for the Eighth Congress of the PCC to be held in 2021. He emphasized that Cuba always regards the development of relations with China and the CPC as its diplomatic priority and hopes that the two Parties will, guided by the important consensus of the leaders of the two Parties and the two countries, strengthen strategic mutual trust and exchanges of experience in state governance and administration, support each other on issues involving each other’s core interests, resolutely safeguard international fairness and justice, resolutely resist hegemonism and external interference, and promote Cuba-China relations and the cause of socialist modernization for bigger development, so as to bring benefit to the two countries and peoples.

Shen Beili, Vice Minister of the IDCPC, presided over the meeting. Chen Xi, Chinese Ambassador to Cuba and Carlos Miguel Pereira, Cuban Ambassador to China were present.

Enditem