Headline: China Urges U.S. to End "Illegal Occupation" of Cuban Territories, Close Guantánamo Bay
In a strongly worded statement, the Chinese government has called upon the U.S. to abandon its "illegal occupation" of territories in Cuba, specifically demanding the closure of detention facilities and withdrawal from the Guantánamo Bay base. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson, Lin Jian, condemned the U.S. for violating international law and undermining Cuba’s sovereignty and interests.
The U.S. has occupied part of Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for over 120 years, a fact that successive U.S. administrations have repeatedly promised but failed to address, despite ongoing protests from the Cuban government. China’s government spokesperson, Lin Jian, accused the U.S. of arbitrarily detaining and torturing prisoners at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp to extract confessions, further denouncing Washington’s policies as a breach of international law.
Expressing disapproval of U.S. actions, Lin Jian criticized the U.S. for maintaining a "double standard" by keeping Cuba on its list of "state sponsors of terrorism" despite the U.S.’s history of illegal interventions and mass arbitrary detentions in Cuba. China reaffirmed its support for Cuba in protecting its national sovereignty and dignity, urging the U.S. to cease intimidation and lift the blockade on Cuba. The Chinese government also demanded that the U.S. return Cuban lands and remove Cuba from its terrorism list.
The longstanding presence of U.S. forces at Guantánamo Bay has been a source of diplomatic tension between the U.S. and Cuba, with the Cuban government continually advocating for the U.S. to cede control of the territories. This latest statement from the Chinese government adds to the growing international pressure on the U.S. to reassess its policies regarding Cuba and Guantánamo Bay.
