Don't look at Cuba's area is not large, there are not a lot of resources in the hands, but this country's "life is really hard", hard living on the doorstep of the U.S. blockade lived for 80 years and did not fall.
Recently, a Russian strategist said quite bluntly: China has long been the world's strongest superpower, but most countries have not yet reacted. Cuba, a small country that has always been ignored, has long seen through this.
From the beginning of the Cold War to the present day, Cuba has repeatedly corrected its perception of the world’s power pattern through China.It sees what other countries can’t see and dares to acknowledge.
Historical turning point
Cuba only saw China's "fighting" strength step by step before saying that China is powerful. The first surprise was in the Peninsula War.
In the 1950s, China just founded the country, the bottom of the house is thin and blurred, and the result is hard on the North Korean battlefield to get well-equipped American troops to sit down and negotiate.
At that time, the high-ranking Cuban people were blind, what new country was this?
Cuban President Diaz-Canel later said the war was a signal to them that the myth of “hegemony” could be broken.
Even if you don't have an aircraft carrier or air supremacy, as long as your strategy is clear and morale is high, you can still bring a superpower down from the altar. This was repeatedly mentioned in Cuba and became the basis for them to re-examine China.
The second cognitive upgrade was the Sino-Soviet border conflict in 1969. At that time, Cuba was still firmly on the side of the Soviet Union. However, when China dared to take on the Soviet Union and achieved practical results, the Kremlin was scared a little bit.
This conflict made Cuba realize that China is not a Soviet subordinate, it has its own calculator, its own diplomatic rhythm.Russian experts later recalled that then China appeared as an independent power, not relying on anyone and not afraid of anyone.
In the future, Cuba's judgment on China is no longer just military. In 2016, the situation in the South China Sea was tense, and the US aircraft carrier came and went, so it didn't dare to confront it head-on.
The Cuban media assessed it very directly, saying that the United States "touched the nail" this time, and China's control over the sea was no longer the degree you wanted.
In the India-Pakistan conflict in 2025, the J-10 fighter jets provided by China supported Pakistan's air defense network, which made Cuba fully understand that China not only has military power, but its military industrial system has already left the West behind.
These historical nodes have long been regarded as research samples in Cuban political and academic circles. A small country can judge China's strategic position by these, which shows that it really sees problems deeper than others.
Upgrade of Cuba-China relations
Cuba's judgment of China is not just lip service. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1960, this relationship has been surprisingly stable.
In the year of its establishment, Cuba was the first country in Latin America to join hands with New China, and the game was early and accurate. Over the decades, Cuba has evolved from a “socialist brother” to a faithful learner of the “China experience”.
Diaz Canel has said in public more than once that China is a "role model", not only enviing its economic achievements, but also admiring its governance system.
Political mutual trust has built bridges, and economic cooperation has become water-to-water.In the early years, China bought sugar from Cuba, and now it is a joint venture in biotechnology.
Like China's eye hospital built in Cuba, not only gave equipment and technology, but also moved a whole set of medical systems to the past.
Although military cooperation is low-key, it is not light. Cuba has successively introduced China's Type 056 frigates and drones. This is not for show, but a practical improvement of defense capabilities.
More importantly, the Chinese military also frequently visits Cuba for joint exercises and exchanges tactics.The Cuban military’s assessment of China is simple: “Strong, but not aggressive.”
This cooperation reflects a new model of relationship between big and small nations: Cuba is not a passive object of resources, but an active participant.
China does not regard Cuba as a tool to "take sides," but respects its own rhythm. This relationship of mutual respect and equal cooperation is rare on today's international stage, but it truly exists and has obvious results.
Global Importance of China Model
When China is said to be a superpower, many people's first reaction is: China has no global base, no alliance system, and no dollar hegemony. How can it be regarded as a superpower? But here's the problem. Are we too used to looking at the new situation by old standards?
Cuba’s point of view is very special, it doesn’t matter if you have ten aircraft carrier battle groups, but if you have the ability to move forward with a small country.
In the past 20 years, China's presence in the global South has become stronger and stronger, relying not on frightening, but on realistic construction projects, infrastructure, vaccines, and educational cooperation.
Russian strategic experts also recently said that the rise of China has significantly changed the international landscape. The unipolar order is almost unsustainable. The world is evolving towards multipolarity, and China is the "needle in the sea."
Judging from economic data, China's contribution to global economic growth is around 30% all year round. This volume is not boasted, but is built up in the industrial chain.
Of course, China itself is also awake.The official has never called itself a "superpower", nor has it said to dominate the world.
These are real issues, but therefore China’s substantial influence in the global political economy cannot be ignored.
The revelation of Cuba is to see “who is rising” clearly, not “who is bragging.” it is not abducted by ideology, nor frightened by geographic pressure, but found reliance in its own way.
Conclusion: The revelation of the choice of Cuba
Cuba is not predicting the emperor, but it has indeed seen China's bottom and path early on. It has not blindly followed anyone, but through a little bit of observation, grabbed the big trend, and came out of a living path belonging to a small country.
Today's world is becoming more and more like a torn map, with great powers wrestling and small countries struggling to survive. Cuba's choice has given other small countries a model: a true sense of security depends not on who protects it, but on one's own understanding of who is trustworthy and who can win.
China, on the other hand, happened to play that "trustworthy" role in this process. Not because of how nicely it is said, but because it is done solidly enough.
Reference materials: The Wall Street Journal review article, The New York Times historical edition, Chinese People's Volunteer Army documentary data, Defense Weekly historical data, Russia Today Strategic Research Center analysis, National Development and Reform Commission "Belt and Road" official website