Havana, July 19, 2022.- The General Director of Informatics of the Ministry of Communications, Mario Hernández Pastrana, headed the Cuban delegation that participated in the First CELAC-China Forum on Cooperation in Digital Technology, held today in virtual format, under the theme: "Exploring new paths for cooperation between China and CELAC and joining efforts to move towards the new digital era".
Hernández Pastrana reaffirmed Cuba's commitment to cooperation and solidarity within the framework of the China-CELAC Forum, based on respect, equality, plurality, inclusion and observance of the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.

The director general condemned the effects of the criminal economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States government against Cuba and illustrated its main effects on the development of the communications sector, a strategic area for the country's development.

The participants in the Forum advocated the deepening of cooperation links between CELAC Member States and China in the field of digital technologies and praised the substantive contribution made by the People's Republic of China to the Member States of the Community in this area.

The meeting adopted a Joint Communiqué that strengthens the acquis of the China-CELAC Forum and reaffirms the important role of digital technologies in supporting the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and in restoring normalcy to daily life and economic activity in our countries. It also recognizes the need to work closely to stimulate the digital economy and advance in strategic areas such as sustainable development, e-commerce, information and communications, Internet access and interconnectivity.

The China-CELAC Forum is an important platform for cooperation and solidarity between the countries of our region and China, established during the II Summit of the Community, held in Havana in January 2014.

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