China and Cuba strengthen ties in strategic fields
Havana, April 4 (RHC) Telecommunications, biotechnology and its link with health are fields in which China and Cuba outline further work, due to the potential they offer to undertake joint and mutually beneficial projects.
Cuba’s vice prime minister Jorge Luis Perdomo recalled that these are prioritized sectors for the economy and in which there is also a precedent of very successful initiatives developed with counterparts from the Asian giant. His current visit to China aims to follow up on the agreed plans in these areas, during Cuba President Miguel Díaz-Canel’s trip to Beijing last November.
This journey - Perdomo commented - seeks to strengthen relations for the development of telecommunications in the Antillean nation, which for years has opted to build more modern networks and connections.
He indicated that the process suffers the effects of the economic crisis in the country, where the increase in traffic, the use of public services such as mobile telephony and the growth to 7.6 million subscribers, is not going hand in hand with the updating of the infrastructure.
Perdomo commented that in his meetings with Beijing’s authorities they reviewed the actions to give continuity to the digital terrestrial television program, started in 2013 with the Chinese standard. As he stressed, after achieving a signal coverage with standard definition that currently covers 76 percent of the population and 45 percent with high definition, now the perspective is to implement the advanced one and add more equipment to the transmission network.
Regarding biotechnology, he referred to the Asian giant's recognition of Cuba's scientific-technical potential and the success of the vaccines, products and protocols adopted in confronting the Covid-19 pandemic.
Likewise, he considered positive the exchanges on strengthening alliances with domestic institutions involved in vaccine research and the development of other preparations with Cuban patents, and destined for the local and international markets.
He estimated that it can even be associated with collaboration in health, which would include the introduction of Cuban biotechnology products, technologies, solutions or the joint development of some conceived by professionals from the island.
In this sphere, he asked the National Health Commission to share experiences in health care and preparation for the challenges resulting from population aging and low birth rates, as well as the relevance of strengthening ties between the regulatory agencies of both countries.
On the other hand, the vice prime minister valued the usefulness of promoting the insertion of Chinese entities in the technological parks of Cuba and at the same time identifying companies and research centers in the largest of the Antilles that can close agreements in that direction.
This initiative pursues the purpose of better connecting the results of science and technology with the economy, the production of goods and services, and the increase in income.
For Perdomo, the visit is going satisfactorily, since he found in the Chinese counterparts a spirit of brotherhood and friendship towards the Cuban people, a high appreciation for bilateral relations and also the desire to strengthen them much more. (Source: Prensa Latina)
