Beijing: China on Wednesday urged the United States to end its restrictions on Cuba and remove Havana from the 'state sponsors of terrorism' list. Allegations of 'forced labor' have become 'an excuse and a tool' for the US to 'suppress dissenting voices,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated at a news conference in Beijing. She expressed China's opposition to 'coercive diplomacy.'

According to Anadolu Agency, the US expanded visa restrictions against Cuba on February 25, citing Cuba's overseas medical services as being suspected of "forced labor linked to the Cuban labor export program." The US secretary of state previously issued a statement asserting that Cuba's labor export programs, including medical missions, enrich the Cuban regime while depriving ordinary Cubans of essential medical care.

Ning criticized the US measures, describing them as a continuation and intensification of the longstanding blockade and sanctions against Cuba. She urged Washington to take concrete actions to improve US-Cuba relations and contribute sincerely to the development of Caribbean nations.

Highlighting Cuba's contributions, Ning noted that over the last six decades, Cuba has dispatched more than 600,000 medical professionals to over 60 countries, providing medical services to over 230 million people and potentially saving more than 12 million lives. She emphasized that Cuba's overseas medical cooperation has been widely appreciated by Caribbean governments and their citizens.