RFI - Hu leaves Cuba, as Apec leaders meet in Peru

Hu leaves Cuba, as Apec leaders meet in Peru

Article published on the 2008-11-19 Latest update 2008-11-19 16:51 TU

Hu Jintao with Raul Castro, as he leaves Havana

Chinese President Hu Jintao ended a 36-hour visit to Cuba Wednesday and headed for Peru where the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum is bringing together leaders from around the Pacific Rim. Hu announced loans and donations to the hurricane-hit island and met President Raul Castro and historic leader Fidel Castro.

During his visit, Hu announced a loan of 54.9 million euros and a donation of 7.8 million euros to Havana. He met "Maximum Leader" Fidel Castro who is retired for medical reasons.

China is Cuba's second-largest trading partner and its role is growing in Latin America, which the Chinese president has been touring over the last few days. Chinese trade with Latin America has risen tenfold since 2000 to 81 billion euros and it has replaced the US as Chile's main trading partner.

People gather at a store at Chinatown in Lima. Peru has South America's most notable Chinese community and is one of the two earliest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere, along with that of Havana.
(Photo: Reuters)

Hu has now gone to Lima, where the 21-nation Apec meeting takes place. The countries represented account for 60 per cent of the world's gross domestic product, leading Peruvian President Alan Garcia to say that the bloc is "the greatest anti-crisis tool in the world".

The meeting is being held under tight security in the army headquarters, for fear of attacks by Maoist guerrillas.

Remnants of the Shining Path group on Saturday shot dead three police officers and injured another in the south-east of the country. Police in Lima on Sunday arrested a Peruvian man with 36 grenades in his possession.

Peru's main trade union federation, the Confederacion General de Trabajadores, is to demonstrate on Friday against US President George Bush, who is to attend the summit.

In Cambodia on Wednesday the world's poorest nations met to discuss the world crisis. World Trade Organisation Pascal Lamy urged them to free up trade with richer countries, while Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen warned that the credit crisis may mean cuts in foreign aid.