China rejects US ‘coercion’ against Cuba

China has criticised the United States over its growing pressure on Cuba, urging Washington to stop using threats and coercive measures against the Caribbean nation.

The reaction followed the indictment of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro by a US court over the 1996 downing of two aircraft linked to the Cuban-American group Brothers to the Rescue. Four people, including three Americans, were killed in the incident.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing firmly supported Cuba and opposed what he described as the use of sanctions and legal actions to pressure Havana.

China also urged the US to stop making military threats against Cuba, as tensions between Washington and Havana continue to rise under President Donald Trump. The White House has recently tightened sanctions on the island’s energy and financial sectors.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel dismissed the charges against Castro as politically motivated and lacking legal basis.