Alberto Blanco Silva, Cuban Ambassador to China, gives opening remarks at the commemoration in Beijing on August 13, 2026. Photo: Dong Feng/GTThe Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in China hosted a commemorating session in Beijing on August 13 to mark the centennial of the birth of the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro Ruz. The event is not only about remembering an individual leader, but revisiting a decades-old relationship.
Delegates' speeches evaluated Fidel's role in promoting Cuba-China ties, especially when Cuba became the first Latin American and Caribbean country to establish diplomatic relations with China.
Alberto Blanco Silva, Cuban Ambassador to China, said in his opening remarks that the revolutionary leader is a figure whose influence transcends borders, time, generations, and ideologies.
Blanco noted that Fidel's life was devoted to Cuba's independence, social justice, solidarity among people, Latin American and Caribbean integration, and Global South, the socialist cause, and a more just and equitable international order.
Ambassador Blanco said that from Fidel, "we learned to practice solidarity through deeds, not merely beautiful words; to remain steadfast in the face of adversity and prudent in victory." For decades, Fidel's voice was echoed among developing countries, Blanco said, adding that Fidel promoted transformations that changed the course of Cuba's history.
Blanco also regarded Fidel as a statesman with a universal vision. Recalling the South Summit held in Havana, Cuba, in 2000, Ambassador Blanco quoted Fidel, saying "Globalization is an objective reality, which reveals our conditions as passengers abroad the same vessel - this planet inhabited by us all."
With this metaphor, Fidel illustrated the urgent need to unite global efforts as an international community to save the planet and humanity, preserve the future of our children, and reduce the gap between the North and the South, Blanco continued.
The Cuban Ambassador also noted Fidel's personal attention to China-Cuba relations.
Fidel, on behalf of the historic leadership, took the initiative, during a mass rally on September 2, 1960, to consult the people and announce the sovereign decision to establish diplomatic relations with the Government of the People's Republic of China, making Cuba the first country in the Western Hemisphere to dare take that step, the ambassador said, switching his speech from Spanish to Chinese.
Blanco added that it was Fidel who, with great frankness and courage, addressed the issue of the exclusion of the People's Republic of China and its admission to the United Nations in his speech before the United Nations on September 26, 1960.
Fidel also consistently upheld the one-China principle and, through his speeches and reflections, condemned interference in China's internal affairs and attempts to undermine the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the People's Republic of China. At the same time, Fidel helped foster mutual interest between Latin America and the Caribbean and China.
Moreover, Fidel instructed that the book, The Long March, an account of a great military feat by Red Army in 1930s whose 90th anniversary we are commemorating this year, be published. Fidel knew its history in great detail and regarded it as an inexhaustible source of inspiration, Blanco recalled.
From Blanco's view, Fidel has helped forge a bond that today stands as an example of cooperation between a large country and a small one, based on equality and mutual respect.
The diplomat said that today, the joint construction of a China-Cuba community with a shared future is an expression of the high-level of strategic trust achieved between "our countries and opens new opportunities to expand cooperation for the benefit of both our peoples."
"One hundred years after his birth, Fidel Castro remains present in the memory of all those who are grateful to him and all those who defend just causes, both within and beyond Cuba," Blanco concluded.
One of the reasons why Fidel is still relevant today is that while people commemorate him, they are also reaffirming the value of the bilateral friendship, which Fidel forged and helped strengthen.
Ma Hui, Vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, gives a speech at the session in Beijing on August 13, 2026. Photo: Dong Feng/GT

Ma Hui, Vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, gives a speech at the session in Beijing on August 13, 2026. Photo: Dong Feng/GT Ma Hui, Vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, said in his speech that Fidel was a founder of the Communist Party of Cuba and the socialist cause, and made significant contributions to Cuba's national independence and to international fairness and justice.
Ma served as Chinese Ambassador to Cuba from 2021 to 2024.
Ma said he visited on numerous occasions the Fidel Castro Center, which is located not far from the Chinese Embassy, as well as museums that feature Fidel.
"The more I learned about Comrade Fidel Castro, the more I was captivated by his noble character, outstanding qualities, and personal charisma," said Ma.
Fidel visited China twice and warmly received several Chinese leaders on their visits to Cuba, making historic contributions to the development of China-Cuba relations. The Chinese people will never forget him, Ma said.
In the current complex and evolving international landscape, China firmly supports Cuba in exploring a path of socialist development suited to its national conditions, firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding national sovereignty and security and opposing foreign interference, and stands ready to work together with Cuba and the wider international community to jointly uphold international fairness and justice, Ma stressed.
。今年2月以来，台湾小镇接待游客同比增191%，以文化为桥促进心灵相通。暑期的68海里景区碧波、礁石临海铺展，游人络绎不绝。刘宇捷摄东南网8月21日报道（福建日报记者刘宇捷蒋丰蔓张颖）19日至20日，“活力中国调研行”采访团走进平潭综合实验区，探访海岸街区与考古展馆。作为祖国大陆距离台湾岛最近的海岛，平潭立足独特地理条件，赓续海峡情缘，探寻远古文明根脉。如今，两岸同根同源的文化底色，在此演绎成文旅融合发展的鲜活篇章。 20日上午，海风裹挟着咸湿气息拂过猴研岛的嶙峋礁石。在68海里景区，不少游客驻足在“祖国大陆距台湾岛最近点”标识碑旁，举着相机定格这一特殊的地理坐标。放眼整个平潭岛，这个镌刻着海峡乡愁的海岸地标早已不再依靠单一石碑吸引游人。限山岛上的黑礁音乐馆，落地大窗直面万顷碧波，民俗舞蹈、奇幻魔术轮番上演。馆内还设置有台湾商品展示售卖区，凤梨酥、一条根、高粱酒等180多种货品集中陈列。

B | 观海赏艺、休闲品读、邂逅两岸风物——游客的体验方式已从单纯打卡观光，转向更富文化内涵的沉浸式享受。沿着海岸线前行，22号国际游艇码头帆影摇曳。作为平潭游艇产业重点项目，码头于2024年6月投入运营，共建有49个泊位，其中包含17个对台专用泊位。 “码头汇聚了游艇、帆船、摩托艇、尾波冲浪、水上超跑等热门海上项目，让游客在观光之余，也能体验水上运动的乐趣。”平潭旅游客运公司总经理陈紫良介绍，投运以来，码头累计接待游客超5.3万人次。目光从海岸转向岛内，一个个跨越海峡的“回家”故事正在温情上演。走进平潭台湾小镇台味餐厅“同源·宝岛家宴”，一份特色菜单格外引人注目：花莲清炒时蔬、台北家园三杯鸡、澎湖白灼明虾……道道菜品对应台湾各地风土，成为小镇汇聚海峡烟火的鲜活注脚。

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D | 台式餐饮、茶饮、文创等业态相继落地，交织出浓浓海峡烟火。

E | “我们把家乡的风味带到这里，和越来越多的台胞抱团创业，在这里既有事业，也有家的归属感。”台商王志强和记者分享道。林彦介绍，小镇现有入驻企业150家，其中台资企业78家。浓郁的两岸风情持续释放吸引力，今年2月焕新开街以来，累计接待游客约55.8万人次，同比增长191%。如果说台湾小镇承载的是海峡人间烟火，那么，将两岸的文化联结溯源至7000年前的壳丘头遗址博物馆，则成为两岸同胞获得情感共鸣的精神坐标。走进壳丘头遗址博物馆，陶器、石器、贝器等600余件文物系统铺展出东南沿海距今7500年至3000年的史前考古序列，证实平潭是南岛语族向外迁徙的重要踏板，也印证了海峡两岸史前阶段便有着密切的文化交融往来。 “文物不能只静态地陈列在展馆玻璃之内。”平潭国际南岛语族研究院学术交流部主任林颖说。依托海峡两岸南岛语族考古教学实习基地，博物馆常态化举办闽台海洋文化探源研学营、两岸青少年考古体验等活动，把考古成果转化为面对面的交流平台，在两岸青年互动交往之间，同源共脉的历史记忆就此传递。数据显示，依托博物馆与考古基地这一复合平台，平潭累计承接国内外各类参访研学活动940多场次，参与总人数超2.8万人次。从礁石海岸的隔海相望，到台湾小镇的烟火相聚，再到壳丘头遗址博物馆的文明寻根，乡愁期盼、人间烟火、远古回响，循着两岸同源的文化脉络层层铺展，平潭立足独有的地缘禀赋与文明根脉，以文化为桥，书写两岸文旅融合、心灵相通的崭新篇章。