Welcome to China Report's Digital Introduction to the Cuban Embassy in the south Embassy Area of ChaoYang District in Beijing, the Capital of China (PRC).
The Cuban Embassy compound in Beijing is relatively small and covers roughly 1 quarter of a city block, a block which it shares with the Embassy of Singapore, which stands to the North, and the Embassy of the Republic of Mongolia which stands to
Left: Photo of the infamous Cuban leader Fidel Castro, a Man with extraordinary charm, and to say the least extraordinary deeds and ideas. Right: Fidels Brother Raoul, the new leader.
the North-West.
Immediatly to the South across Xiushui North Street stands the Embassy of Austria which shares the block to the South of the Cuban Embassy with the Embassy of Ethiopia, the Embassy of Qatar and the Embassy of Azerbaijan.
Mao met Che Guevara in Beijing in November of 1960 AD but the two did not quite hit it off. Five years later when Che returned Mao would not see him as the Cubans refused to choose relations with Mao and China over those with the USSR.
History of the Cuban Embassy in Beijing :
Cuban Embassy in Beijing, how to Get There :
The Cuban Embassy is one of fairly many embassy compounds in the so called South Embassy section of the Chaoyang District, with its relatively small size and inconspicuous exterior, partially hidden underneath trees that line the roads in this area it does not stand out from its surroundings. The Best way to find it is either to find the Altar of the Sun Park (Ritan Gongyuan), locate the south gate and walk straight down from there. The second method to easily navigate and find the Embassy without delays is to focus on Jianguomen Outer Street. Find the Silk Alley (Xiu Shui) Commercial Building which stands on the corner of Jianguomen Outer Street running West to East, and Dongdaqiao Road. From the Silk Alley commercial building
walk westward in the direction of the City Center and the Ancient Observatory (Gu Guan Xiang Tai) at Jianguomen. Essentially all one has to do then is follow the road past the Gate and Entrance Road of Qijiayuan Diplomatic Residence compound, which might be mistaken for the next road (it is not) to the next inter-section where Jianhua Road leads nothward up to the south gate of Altar of the Sun Park where it terminates.
As described, the Cuban Embassy is just up Jianhua Road past the Austrian Embassy. Look for the
Gate of the Qijiayuan Diplomatic Residence compound on the North Side of Jianguomen outer street (Jianguomen Wai Dajie) in August of 2010.
Cuban Flag, the official sign and the obligatory Fidel Castro photos on the exterior wall. You can take some photos but loitering is not appreciated.
There are not many historic tales to be told about the current Cuban Embassy in Beijing, except for the roles that it played in the 1960 AD and 1965 AD visits to Beijing by the Cuban number two of that Time, Che Guevara. No one, except for a priviliged few, really knows what went on inside during the last 60 years. There are however quite a few remarkable tales about Chinese-Cuban relations in the past few decades. Although there officially has been a longstanding friendship between the two socialist nations finding common ground in the “unfair international economic order” and Colonialist attitudes in the West, the personal relations between the two Communist Leaders of these nations have been strained and turbulent at times.
In November of the year 1960, a high Cuban delegation visited Beijing headed by Che which also visited Pyongyang in North Korea and would afterwards head to Moscow for meetings at the Kremlin.
Mao Zedong was eager to meet Che who had a thorough distaste of the Russians and met him with full regards at the Palace of the Government, better known as the Great Hall of the Peoples at Tiananmen Square. At the Time, Mao Zedong's goal -and with that the goal of Premier Zhou Enlai and others- during the visit was to charm the Cuban second and see if it was possible to use Che Guevaras more radical stance to pry Cuba away from Soviet influence. It was clearly Mao's ambition to lead the Communist World and the World Revolution instead of the more mighty Soviet Union, his very own patron. At the time the small Cuban Embassy buzzed with activity.
Although Che was extremely friendly and advised Mao Zedong's methods might be introduced in Cuba, these were all just verbal overtures. Although politically Che Guevara was closer to Mao Zedong's extreme line than to the Soviet Union's position on the Cold War, Cuba was only
looking for trade with China in order to further its own position. Since China was desperatly poor and Cuba could offer no military technology, chances at a significant diplomatic and trade deal were very low as would be proven not much thereafter. Mao over-estimated his own economical importance and in February of 1966 AD, Cuba entered into another agreement with the Soviet Union for a 12 percent increase in trade and for credits to cover Cuba's deficit spending. This solidly tied Cuba to the Soviet Union and left Mao Zedong and China entirely out of the Game. Although relations between China and Cuba briefly warmed, nothing came of the plan to estrange Cuba from its Russian masters. Hence, when Che Guevara revisited the Chinese Capital on an official second visit, Mao was not in the mood to see him and left the warm reception to his Premier and stooge Zhou Enlai.
Che died in 1967 and never returned to Beijing.
The Cuban Embassy is otherwise only known as the perveyor of Cuban sigars sent by Cuban Leader Fidel Castro, with whom Mao had a troubled relation. Regardless of the Cuban Sigars delivered in handcarved wooden boxes, and the exteriorly pretended brotherhood between Communist Nations, Fidel Castro called Mao Zedong 'A Bastard' on at least one occassion.
In januari of 1966 AD Fidel publically accused China (Mao) of having attempting to economically pressure Cuba into compliance with China's wish to move away from the position of the Soviet Union. Only a month later Fidel accused the Chinese of trying to subvert the Cuban Military and of taking excessive economic reprisals. It wasn't a friendly gesture but a deep insult and open defiance, something Mao could not stand. Mao Zedong called Fidel Castro a 'Jackall and a Wolf' in retaliation.
Address o/t Cuban Embassy in Beijing :
China
No. 1 Xiu Shui Nan Jie,
Jian Guo Men Wai,
Chaoyang District, Beijing
China
Phone:
+86-10-6532-6568
+86-10-6532-1714
Fax:
+86-10-6532-2870
Email:
informacion1@embchina.minrex.gov.cu
The Cuban Embassy in Beijing has Consular Jurisdiction for all areas in China except for Hong Kong, Macao and consular areas of Cuba in Shanghai.
The overall function of the Cuban Embassy in Beijing is to represent Cuba's interests in China. At current that mainly means the promotion of business between the two countries, by encouraging investment in Cuba by the Chinese and promoting Cuban products in China. Given that Cuba's economy is heavily dependent on tourism and the Chinese citizens are increasingly affluent, encouraging Chinese tourism to the Cuban holiday island has lately become increasingly important.
Apart from this main function the embassy also provides assistance to Cuban citizens who find themselves in need of help within the Peoples Republic of China. This can range from lost passports, illness and hospital stays to legal problems and detention cases.
Chinese people who wish to visit Cuba need to contact the embassy in order to arrange visas.
China - Cuban Relations and the Embassy in Beijing :
As two of the last few remaining communist countries Cuba and China have a very close relationship. In fact, relations have become even closer since the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991. At the current time, Cuba needs China as a trading partner because of the still active United States Embargo against it. China in turn has been actively courting third world countries like Cuba, while taking advantage of their best business markets.
As China becomes a major power it has been trying to extend their influence in the world. One followed strategy has been to engage third world countries in Africa and Latin America and increase their ties with China and its economy. So far China has been quite successful at this. Cuba is a close Chinese ally if for no other reason that the United States have left them with no other choice.
Since, the renewal of Sino-Cuban relations during the second half of the 1990s, one of Fidel Castros first moves was to clearly endorse the Chinese 1989 AD crackdown of what he called a Pro-Democracy Movement. Eversince, the large but mostly unmentioned Chinese-Cuban (ethnic) community in Cuba has played a large role in reviving the Cuban economy in several ways. Among the latest successes, growing Chinese international tourism to Cuba and Havana, the tropical paradise.
Cuba has been a “staunch supporter” of the PRC's interpretation of “One China” and has used its influence to convince several smaller Central American and Caribbean countries to switch their recognition from Taiwan to China. More recently, Cuba strongly supported China in the face of International protest against its hosting of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Now ailing, but in remarkable health after a near death encounter, Cuban leader Fidel Castro is still active in the field of international politics. Recently he published an article entitled “The Chinese Victory,” which was highlighted in the Cuban media and hailed by the Chinese Government and state controlled media as well. The article praises Chinese econmic achievements while retaining totalitarian control. In another article, Castro and Cuba has also loudly condemned Tibetan exiles and their Western supporters as being plotters against Chinese sovreignty, a view that China loves to endorse but is to say the least, simplified and flawed.
History of Chinese-Cuban Relations :
Although Cuba was the first South American Nation to recognize the Peoples Republic of China in 1960, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro never visited China. For long, the highest ranking Cuban official to meet with Chinese Government Leaders was Che Guevara, who visited Beijing in 1960 and 1965.
During the first half of the 1960s, when the Sino-Cuban relations were at the peak, Fidel Castro is said to have frequented the Chinese Embassy in Havana very often. As for Castro, he was an extravagant man and similar to the situation with Mao, others had to adapt to his modes of operation. Among these peculiarities was the matter of Fidel Castro having taken a liking to Chinese Food.
When Castro visited the Chinese Embassy, he did not just make an appointment for discussion. No, instead he would drop in for dinner.
As Chinese sources have since foreclosed, most of these Embassy 'visits' were unannounced to the public, as well as most of the time the Chinese diplomats themselves. Having hosted Fidel for dinner several times at the Embassy, and having taken notice of Fidel's liking for Chinese Cookery, not much later Chairman Mao, of course after playing for an official request, saw to it that the Chinese government dispatched two cooks to Havana to serve Fidel Castro personally. Naturally, the hope was that the cooks would also be able to infiltrate Fidel's personal sphere and perhaps find out more what was going on in the highest office in Cuba. The Cooks never were merely Chefs, but they were equipped with other skills as well (No details have been disclosed of their experiences with Fidel in Havana, so far).
Officially, one of the Chefs came from the renowned Beijing Quanjude Duck Restaurant and the other from the Beijing’s Heilongjiang Restaurant.
These Embassy dinner visits, which often lasted for hours or even into early next morning, however, were not merely friendly fraternizing, instead the lenghty hours spend at the dinner table and in the post-dinner chats were often dominated by political conversations and attempted planning.
One of the most significant dinner visits came on October 18th, 1964, when Castro appeared in the Chinese Havana embassy in the late afternoon, as usual unannounced.
Seemingly completely alone, Fidel simply walked through the front door and settled himself in the guest chamber without paying much attention to the frantic activity of the receptionist who suddenly had to alert the ambassador, who by the way was eager and ready to go home.
In his usual charming and opulent way, Castro was all smile and -as in passing- informed Ambassador Wang Youping, that it was Sunday and he would like to have Chinese food as dinner. During the ensuing hours Castro revealed his true intentions. Nikita Khrushchev had stepped down only three days before and now Cuba, Castro that is, wanted to mediate between Beijing and Moscow by exploiting this development.
Fidel Castro and his personal revolution had been caught between the two communist big brothers for some time. As the Chinese have described it somewhat optimistically, Fidel had his “stomach” (material needs) in Moscow but “heart” (ideological affinity) in Beijing. Seeing chance to wedge himself free from the repetitive collisions of his political allies, Castro had made some efforts to bring China and the USSR together. Now he saw a great opportunity for the winds to change in his favor.
Perhaps worried about Moscow’s response, he never set foot in Beijing, regardless the messages of invitation sent to him over the dinner table at the embassy, but made pilgrimage to Kremlin twice in the first half of the 1960s. With Khrushchev’s disgrace, Castro thought it was the optimum moment for him to make another try, because he knew that the Chinese had blamed Khrushchev for the Soviet Union’s domestic revisionist and international reconciliatory policies.
After that Sunday-evening visit to the Chinese embassy, Castro launched a campaign. He convened a conference of Latin American communists, which resulted in a communique calling for unity among world communists and a joint delegation to Moscow and Beijing for the purpose. When that failed, he asked Che Guevara, the most pro-Chinese in his inner circle, together with two members of the Cuban party’s politburo who flew to Beijing from Havana, to suspend the latter’s visit in Africa and fly to Beijing in early February 1965 to persuade the Chinese.
This time around Castro apparently overestimated his influence and Mao wanted him to feel it. Still sour over the results of the Cuban visit of 1960, Mao (officially: the Chinese) showed no interest whatsoever in supporting Castro's initiative. At the meeting with the Latin American Communist delegation, Mao even chided the Cubans for their “fear” of “imperialism” and “atomic bomb” thus throwing themselves on Moscow. Pushed by the pressures from Moscow, the tension between Beijing and Havana escalated and openly erupted in early 1966. Among the issues that triggered the Sino-Cuban quarrel, food was the most critical and direct: Beijing reduced its rice exportation to Havana for 1966 and was thus accused by the latter of “joining America’s blockade against Cuba”. Tit for tat, China charged Cuba for partaking in the “anti-China chorus” directed by Moscow and Washington. It became a mud slinging party once again. After this exchange of words, Castro refused to visit the Chinese Embassy in Havana again. As the story goes, the Chinese cooks at the embassy no longer had to prepare half-cooked dishes and the Chinese diplomats in Havana were finally able to get to their homes and families at normal hours. More likely, Fidel had worries he might be poisened by the Chinese, or otherwise felt more comfortable at a distance. The mutual erratic behavior had finally broken the bond between the socialist brother nations. Relations would not return to normal for a very long time. It was not until well after Mao Zedong’s death that Chinese overtures to Cuba would be accepted.
Official photographs of Fidel Castro arriving at Beijing Capital Airport on November 29 of 1995.
A long-time Soviet ally and having had a severe falling out during the Cultural revolution and Sino-Soviet tensions in the second half of the 1960's, Fidel Castro's Cuba didn't establish diplomatic ties with China until 1993. However, after the the break-up of the former Soviet Union in 1991, China has become one of Cuba's top three trading partners. Castro has praised Chinese leaders for moving toward a free market economy while keeping the Communist Party's monopoly on power, a situation similar to his own. Although Castro would have liked to remain loyal to Communist Doctrine, he himself has had to rely on Foreign Currencies derived from international tourism to Cuba, to keep his regime stabile and in power.
After some preliminary visits by his brother Raoul, Fidel Castro finally reached Beijing in the year 1995 where he was greeted with a grandiose state welcome in Tiananmen Square and a meeting with Chinese leader Jiang Zemin not much after. It was Jiang who invited Castro to make the visit during Jiang's trip to Havana in 1995. During his Beijing stay Fidel Castro managed to plan in a visit to Mao Tse-tung's mausoleum and had talks with Jiang and other Chinese leaders.
During the visit economic issues were the center of focus.
After two days of meetings with Chinese government officials in Beijing, Castro continued on a short tour of China in order to glimpse the sweeping economic changes that have taken place within that Nation, with, as officially stated, 'a special interest in looking at the successes and weaknesses of reform'.
Castro's also visited Vietnam.
Hu Jintao visited Cuba on three occassions during his term in office. The first was in 1997. The other visits occured in 2004 and 2008 respectively. During the time of the third visit Chinese media coverage was cautiously optimistic in tone, emphasizing the the fact that Raul Castro has replaced Fidel as being the Cuban leadership in practice, which the Chinese Government hopes will bring Cuba more reform-oriented policies following the “Chinese lesson”
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