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  1. Deng Menjia Says:

    Dear El Guajiro Azul :
    This email is to ask for a few moments of your time to help me better understand the country, Cuba.

    My name is Deng Menjia and I am a student at the Cheung Kong School of Journalism and Communication in Shantou University, which is located in southern China. For one of my courses we have been assigned to write a report and do some research on different countries. From our research we need to pick two topics of interest.

    The first topic relates to China. I would like to know more information about the relation between the two countries and specific details on any cooperation between the two countries. I have found out that Cuba is the first Latin America to develop diplomatic realationship with China and both of the two countries are socialism countries and have many common political interests. In the past decades, the two countries have cooperation in many fields,such as education, cultural communication, travel industry, telecommunication, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology and so on. But I am specifically interested in the energy cooperation. As we know that Cuba has the largest amount of nickel of the world and it has gradually replaced the cigars and sugar production and exports, to become Cuba’s main foreign exchange earnings. China had imports a lot of nickel from Cuba to develop its economy. However, such kind of energy is limited, and the state of nickel prices has continued to reduce, so I would like to know how does the current nickel production develop in Cuba.

    Secondly, Cubas used to be called as an Oil-poor country and it has to import energy from other Latin America countries, such as Venezuela. Superisely, it is said Cuba has discovered 20 billion barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico, so how is the current energy situtation in Cuba? Does the discovery of such a large number of oil make any change to Cubans daily life? Have the government begun to take any action to exploit these oil? What difficulty will Cuba face?

    President Fidel Castro has proclaimed the energy revolution in 2006 and implemented a number of energy-saving measures, may I know what specific measures have been implemented and what kind of effect does it brought ? Do you feel worry about the energy situtation in Cuba?

    Refer to the cooperation between China and Cuba, we know that Li Norit New Energy Co., Ltd. has established the construction of solar water heater production base which has independent intellectual property rights in Cuba, what are the solar water used for and how many Cubans can benefits form the heater? How much money should they pay if they want to use ?

    Also, Havana and Haier had signed an agreement to import LED lights, ; I want know how does the Cuba government value such cooperation and what significant effects does the energy cooperation bring to the both two countries in what aspect? Is there any other kind of energy cooperation between the two countries? According to a repotr form Xinhua net, China promised to help Cuba exploit the oil and relax the deadline of repaying debt, etc. Is it ture? How did China help Cuba exploit the oil and have is taken action yet? What benefits can China earn from helping Cuba and what difficult will China face? How do you think the energy cooperation between the two countries in the future?

    The second topic is related to the civil rights and relationship between Cuba and the United State of America . I have done a lot of research and found out that though the health care and education in Cuba is free, but it’s hard for Cuban to get abord and they got mere income each month. And the United State of America has been critizing the Cuba government abuse the human right . Yoani Sánchez, a 34-year-old Cuban writer, editor and linguistics scholar, has been writing a blog called Generación Y in which shows her individual observation and sardonic comment on society towards the daily life in Havan, capital of Cuba for two years. In May, 2008, the Cuban authorities barred Sanchez from flying to Madrid to accept the 2008 Ortega y Gasset Prize for digital journalism. On Octomber, 2009, she won one of the Maria Moors Cabot Prizes given by Columbia University, but faile to reacived it because the Cuba government restricted her to got aboard. I would like to know is this phenomenon very often in Cuba? Why did Cuba do this to its citizens?

    From the material I have collected, I know that most Cubans have no access to internet through formal ways. I also heard that they can bought an internet account from the black market, is it ture and how much does it cost? Also I’m interested in the Cuba’s housing problem. How is the Cubans living condition? President Raul Castro has launched a lot of reform since he came to power. I want to know what kind of reform is most significant and popular in Cuba?

    We all know that there is a long history between Cuba and the United State of America. The U.S. embargo against Cuba has cost much to both of the two countries since 1960s. However,it’s said that president Obama has already relaxed its domestic travel ban to Cuba as well as remittances ban. So may I know your opinion about such action? How long will the embargo last? Once the embargo is cancelled, what would happen to the two countries?

    I have asked a lot of questions and any answer you give will be of great help to me. If you can recommend anyone else that I can contact, please let me know.

    I am sorry that I do not speak Spanish. However, if English is a problem, I can try to find some translators who can read your correspondence or recommendations in Spanish.

    Please feel free to share any information with me. If it is possible, please send a reply by the end of the year.

    Thank you for your time and hope all is well with you.


    Deng Menjia

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