Amid Trump threats and blackout, Cuba receives 60,000 tonnes of rice from China
China has sent the first shipment of 60,000 tonnes of donated rice to Cuba, offering a fresh show of support for the island as it grapples with a nationwide blackout and renewed threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Cuban Embassy in China said the first batch of the donation had set sail for Cuba, describing the shipment as proof that “the solidarity of true friends prevails” in the face of adversity.
The embassy said the aid came from the People’s Republic of China and framed it as a sign that Cuba was not alone as it faced mounting external and domestic pressures.
The shipment comes as Cuba has been plunged into crisis following a collapse of its national power grid, which left the country of about 10 million people without electricity.
Cuba’s state power utility, Union Nacional Electrica de Cuba, said the country suffered a “complete shutdown of the national grid,” while the Ministry of Energy and Mines reported a “complete disconnection” of the national electrical system and said it was investigating the cause.
State media later said power had been restored to about 5% of Havana’s residents, or roughly 42,000 customers, as well as several hospitals, although officials warned that the small circuits restored so far could fail again. It was Cuba’s third major blackout in the past four months.
The blackout unfolded against the backdrop of what Chinese and Cuban officials have described as continued U.S. pressure on the island.
Trump, speaking at the White House on Monday, said he believed he would have “the honour of taking Cuba.”
“Whether I free it, take it — think I could do anything I want with it. You want to know the truth. They’re a very weakened nation right now,” he said.
China has repeatedly said it will continue its “support and assistance” to Cuba and has condemned Washington’s pressure, saying it undermines regional peace and stability.
The Chinese ambassador to Cuba, Hua Xin, recently denounced the impact of the U.S. blockade on the Cuban people and said Beijing would continue backing Cuba’s sovereignty and national security while deepening cooperation in areas such as energy and food.
Chinese-backed projects cited by the ambassador included solar parks donated by China, solar energy systems for isolated homes and community centres, and food assistance, including shipments of rice.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
