Trump Claims Communist Nation is Set to Fall, China Vows Support
The Chinese government has vowed to provide full support to Cuba in resisting foreign interference. This firm stance follows statements by US President Donald Trump, who suggested that Havana is on the verge of collapse and called for fundamental changes within the island nation.
Quoting Russia Today on Tuesday (29/9/2026), Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed this commitment on Monday, coinciding with the 66th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Beijing and Havana.
“China will support Cuba in maintaining its national sovereignty and pursuing a development path consistent with its national conditions,” he stated.
Previously, in a speech at the UN General Assembly last week, Trump openly described Cuba as a failed state. He also accused the nation, situated directly in front of the US, of serving as a sanctuary for foreign enemies.
Cuba is currently facing its worst economic crisis in decades, characterised by severe shortages of fuel and food, prolonged power outages, and ageing energy infrastructure due to decades of sanctions.
The crisis has deepened following the total cessation of oil supplies from Venezuela and Mexico, which accounted for approximately 86% of Cuba’s total crude oil imports last year. Oil shipments from Venezuela reportedly stopped after US military operations ousted President Nicolas Maduro in January, while Mexico was forced to suspend supplies due to threats of tariffs from Washington.
US pressure has intensified since Trump returned to office. Through an executive order in January 2026, he declared Havana’s policies an extraordinary threat to national security, accusing Cuba of being allied with Russia, China, Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah. Washington maintains that this hardline policy is intended solely to counter threats and promote democracy and economic freedom.
Responding to this intense pressure, Cuba has condemned the US for waging a multidimensional economic war and an energy blockade to force political change. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, speaking at the UN General Assembly on Saturday, explicitly likened Washington’s sanctions to a naval blockade.
“This is an act of war,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, China has positioned its support as part of a foreign policy aimed at defending sovereignty, opposing foreign interference, and promoting a multipolar order for developing nations. This aligns with the similar principles demonstrated during the US-Israel war against Iran this year, where Beijing rejected regime change efforts.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, at the UN General Assembly, specifically urged relevant nations to immediately change their aggressive stance.
“Immediately stop using the threat of violence against Cuba,” he stated. “Completely lift the blockade and sanctions.”
As a form of tangible assistance, Beijing has provided emergency food aid, debt restructuring, as well as financing and the supply of solar power equipment. This aggressive investment has successfully boosted Cuba’s renewable energy mix from just 2% in January 2025 to 21.4% by September 2026.
In return, Cuba provides China with a strong political ally and a foothold for expanding infrastructure and strategic investment in Latin America through the Belt and Road Initiative, which has been active since 2018. Cuba is also known to consistently support Beijing’s positions regarding the issues of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang.
On the global stage, Cuba continues to receive significant support. In a UN General Assembly vote in October 2025, 165 countries supported a resolution to end the embargo, with only seven opposing and 12 abstaining. Several nations have also taken initiative, such as Mexico sending hundreds of tonnes of food, Spain activating debt conversion programmes, and the European Union providing emergency humanitarian funding.
Russia also maintains its position as a close partner by providing diplomatic and economic support. Moscow was recorded sending a tanker carrying 730,000 barrels of crude oil at the end of last March, serving as Cuba’s only major oil supply this year.
Russia has also completed the distribution of food aid worth US$18 million through the UN for the 2018-2025 period, followed by an additional allocation of US$2 million for this year.
“The humanitarian situation in Cuba is desperate,” said Lavrov. “Washington must lift the restrictions on the country and remove it from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.”