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Yahoo!
February 27, 2003.
Fidel Castro expresses astonishment at China's changes
By Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press Writer. Thu Feb 27,
5:59 AM ET
BEIJING - Visiting a China transformed by capitalist-style economic
development, Cuban leader Fidel Castro said Thursday he hardly recognized the
country that is one of his ailing nation's few remaining communist allies.
Castro, the world's longest-serving communist leader, said China's changes
left him bewildered.
"I can't really be sure just now what kind of China I am visiting,
because the first time I visited, your country appeared one way and now when I
visit it appears another way," Castro said in a meeting with the head of
China's legislature, Li Peng.
"You can say that every so often your country undergoes great changes,"
Castro said.
Castro met Li in the Great Hall of the People, the hulking seat of China's
legislature on the edge of Tiananmen Square. It is one of the few parts of
Beijing to remain unchanged in two decades of economic reform and urban renewal.
Reforms in China have brought in foreign investment totaling hundreds of
billions of dollars and produced a dynamic private sector — concepts still
largely unknown in Castro's Cuba. While Castro has adhered closely to Marxist
economics since seizing power in the 1959 revolution, China has produced
ever-more market-oriented leaders focused on economic growth.
That growth has become increasingly important to Cuba's economy, still
reeling from the loss of Soviet subsidies more than a decade ago.
China has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in economic credits to
Cuba, as well as some direct aid. Castro's talks with Chinese President Jiang
Zemin on Wednesday focused on economic ties and concluded with the signing of an
economic cooperation agreement and Chinese aid package for Cuba.
Castro, 76, met later with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, who praised Castro's
leadership and "insistence on Cuba's national sovereignty and people's
independence in complicated and ever-changing times."
Castro met also with Vice President Hu Jintao and Vice Premier Wen Jiabao.
Hu and Wen are expected to take over as China's president and premier,
respectively, at the annual legislative session beginning next week.
Castro Foe Denied Visa For Davis Trip
By Keith Epstein, kepstein@tampatrib.com. Thu Feb 27, 3:09
AM ET
WASHINGTON - Tampa Bay area combatants in the passionate debate over Cuba
have persuaded Fidel Castro's regime to reject a request by U.S. Rep. Jim Davis
of Tampa to bring a Castro foe with him on a five-day "fact-finding'' foray
to the island nation.
Davis, a Democrat, had long resisted partisan invitations to make such a
trip, saying he wanted to remain impartial. But when advocates for lifting the
embargo against Cuba learned Davis intended to bring along pro-embargo Tampa
executive Simon Canasi, they sprang into action.
Full story at Tampa Bay
Online (http://news.tbo.com/news/MGA0PNI7OCD.html) | 
