state media reported Wednesday, as the Caribbean island faces mounting pressure from the United States. Cuba is suffering under a US energy blockade, and President Donald Trump has openly mused about taking over the country. China has close ties to the communist state and has promised to donate 60,000 tons of rice to help Cuba deal with shortages, the first batch of which arrived on Sunday.

"China will continue to uphold justice and speak out on Cuba's behalf, support the just cause of the Cuban people, and contribute to the development of Cuba's economy and the improvement of its people's livelihoods”, Wang told Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, according to a Chinese readout of their meeting. "It is essential to steadfastly respect the sovereignty and independence of all nations, and to oppose all forms of power politics and bullying”, he added, in an apparent reference to the US.

The Trump administration cut off Cuba's supply of oil from Havana's ally Venezuela after it ousted Nicolas Maduro in a raid in January. Washington tightened the screws last week by indicting former Cuban president Raul Castro over the downing of two civilian US planes in 1996, fueling fears that the US was seeking a pretext to overthrow the government in Havana. China's foreign ministry urged the US to "stop brandishing... the judicial stick against Cuba and stop threatening force at every turn", in response to the indictment last week. "China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and national dignity and opposes external interference”, spokesman Guo Jiakun said at the time. (Bssnews)