Opinion

August 29 is the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Cuba.

The Cuban people, who had long been exploited and oppressed by the colonialists, took up arms and turned out in the struggle to break the chain of tyranny under the leadership of Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz, the leader of the Cuban revolution, and finally emerged victorious in the revolution on January 1 1959.

As a result, Cuba put an end to the US imperialists' policy of colonial enslavement in the Western Hemisphere for the first time in the world and embarked on the building of a new society. In token of its support for and solidarity with the Cuban government and people, the DPRK forged diplomatic ties with the Republic of Cuba at an ambassadorial level on August 29 1960.

Since then, the two countries have cemented fraternal friendship while waging a valiant struggle on the road of socialism.

President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il, who set it as their lifelong mission to accomplish the cause of independence for humankind, rendered material and moral support to the Cuban government and people in their revolutionary struggle for defending their national sovereignty, regarding the Cuban revolution as part of the world revolution. In the course of that, the Korean great leaders established comradely relations based on proletarian internationalism and revolutionary obligation with Cuban revolutionaries including Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz.

The strategic and comradely ties of friendship and cooperation between the DPRK and Cuba, which were provided and developed by the leaders of the two countries, are further expanding and getting stronger in line with the requirements of the new era.

The meeting and talks held between the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un and Comrade Miguel Diaz-Canel in Pyongyang in November 2018 marked a significant occasion which boosted the bilateral friendly and cooperative relations onto a new stage.

Today the governments and peoples of the two countries consolidate their strategic and comradely friendship as they support and encourage each other in the struggle to defend national sovereignty and dignity and safeguard international justice under the banner of socialism.

The Cuban government and people fight to protect their national sovereignty from the persistent anti-Cuban blockade moves of hostile forces.

At the recent Sixth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that although huge challenges and difficulties lie in their way, it is needed to overcome them with the spirit of victory, efforts, talents, passion, unity and creativity in particular, and that the point is that they should keep creating constantly, not confining themselves to resistance.

The meeting specified the tasks to cope with the prevailing situation in the country.

The Cuban government and people have made great achievements in their efforts for economic development and the improvement of the people's living standards.

The Korean people extend full support, solidarity and sympathy to them for their revolutionary and resolute counteraction against the US’ vicious anti-Cuba offensive and for the development and prosperity they are achieving by their own efforts.

The Cuban party and government also offer positive support and encouragement to the DPRK government and people in their efforts to defend their national dignity and sovereignty and dynamically advance along the road of building a powerful socialist country.

The strategic and comradely friendly ties between the DPRK and Cuba which are invariably being carried forward from one century to the next will grow stronger on the road of socialism in conformity with the aspirations of the peoples of the two countries.