China has urged the US to end its decades-long blockade and sanctions against Cuba, condemning Washington’s “coercion and pressure.”  

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning made the remarks on Monday when asked about Cuba’s request for a special session of the UN General Assembly, scheduled for July 7, to discuss the US embargo. The request followed Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel’s warning that the sanctions have pushed the island into an “unsustainable” situation and amount to “genocide.”  

The island nation, which has been under a US embargo since 1960, has endured daily blackouts and severe fuel deficits in recent months after Venezuela, once its main oil supplier, stopped crude shipments under pressure from the US earlier this year. This was preceded by the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by American commandos in January.  

US President Donald Trump has since repeatedly stated that he intends to “take” Cuba “one way or another.”  

“The US 60-plus years of full blockade and illicit sanctions have brought profound sufferings to the Cuban people,” Mao said, urging Washington to “stop its blockade, coercion and pressuring against Cuba at once.”  

She said the US had recently escalated its sanctions, dealing another blow to the Cuban people and drawing concern from the international community. Beijing opposes unilateral sanctions with “no basis in international law,” she added, reaffirming China’s support for Cuba’s sovereignty and opposition to external interference.  

“We stand ready to work with the rest of the world to uphold international fairness and justice,” she concluded.  

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk last month warned that the US sanctions on Cuba had already led to acute shortages of essential medical supplies that were causing deaths among children. He described the humanitarian situation on the island as “unacceptable,” with his office reporting that infant mortality had doubled after Washington imposed its fuel blockade. 

US news outlet Axios reported in late May, citing anonymous US officials, that the White House was planning to further ramp up pressure on Cuba in the hope that worsening economic conditions would eventually trigger regime change.  

Russia, China, Mexico, and several other countries have been supplying Cuba with humanitarian aid. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said last month that Moscow continues to provide support to the island, including fuel. In late March, Russia delivered around 700,000 barrels of crude oil.