Tributes to José Martí on 55 years of China-Cuba ties

To commemorate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relationship between China and Cuba, as well as the 162 anniversary of José Martí's birth, a floral tribute to the sculpture of José Martí was held at Beijing Jintai Art Museum on January 30. Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn

To commemorate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relationship between China and Cuba, as well as the 162 anniversary of José Martí's birth, a floral tribute to the sculpture of José Martí was held at Beijing Jintai Art Museum on January 30.

Cuban Ambassador Jesus Alberto Blanco Silva, Bolivian Ambassador Guillermo Chalup Liendo, Chilean Ambassador Jorge Heine, Mexican Ambassador Julian Ventura, Colombian Ambassador Carmenza Jaramillo, diplomats of Ecuador, Venezuela, Uruguay, Bahamas, Dominican Republic and other Latin America and Caribbean countries, former ambassadors of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Latin America attended the event.

After the national anthem of Cuba and China, Cuban Ambassador Jesus Alberto Blanco Silva and Professor Yuan Xikun, Member of Standing Committee of CPPCC, curator of Beijing Jintai Art Museum as well as the artist who created the sculpture of José Martí gave the floral tribute to the sculpture to commemorate the great revolutionary poet.

Cuban Ambassador Jesus Alberto Blanco Silva said: "Today's cultural event is the beginning of series of events to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between China and Cuba. The relationship the two countries are in the best period due to the deep historical roots, and generations of Cubans and the Chinese people's unremitting efforts.

The success of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Cuba is still vivid in my mind. He was in Havanato accept the 'José Martí' Medal of the Cuban government. President Xi said the sculpture of José Martí in Beijing and Shanghai expresses the friendship which is full of warmth and affection between Cubans and Chinese. For all the Latin America and the Caribbean, it is a great honor to receive the kindly support from Jintai Art Museum."

Beijing Fangcaodi International School students and Cuban teenagers recited "pure poem" of José Martí, and gave floral tribute to the sculpture of José Martí, which was dedicated by Professor Yuan Xikun to Cuba, and it will be placed at Cuban capital Havana.

The sculpture of José Martí was the first one created by Professor Yuan to mark Latin American heroes. Since it was unveiled at Chaoyang Park, the embassy of Cuba has held commemorations here every year in the past 10 years.

"American States in Yuan Xikun's Eyes: Preservation and Transformation" sculpture exhibition (including the sculpture of José Martí) was held in Washington at the sculpture garden of the Organization of American States. The exhibition lasted six months and was praised by diplomats and visitors from all over the world.

On July, when Professor Yuan visited five Latin American countries that have not yet established diplomatic relationship with China, it coincided with President Xi's visit to Cuba, and he presented the sculpture of Fidel Castro, which was created by Yuan, as the state gift to Fidel Castro himself. As an ambassador of public artistic diplomacy, Yuan has contributed to the development of soft power.