[By Special Commentator Xin Zhi of Observer Network]
In late April to early May 2025, I had the honor of joining a Chinese media delegation and reporting on the Cuban International Tourism Festival at the invitation of the Cuban Embassy in China and the Cuban Tourism Bureau. I crossed the Eurasian continent and the Atlantic Ocean to reach the "Pearl of the Caribbean," Cuba.
This is a place that is both familiar and unfamiliar to most young Chinese people: it is familiar because symbols such as "revolution," "cigars," "Caribbean," and "Che Guevara" are world-renowned; it is unfamiliar because compared with other top tourist destinations around the world, there are very few Chinese people here, whether living or working, or traveling and sightseeing.
During an eight-day trip, I not only enjoyed the scenery and customs but also experienced various interesting adventures and met a group of charming people. What particularly impressed me was the Chinese community in Cuba. Among them were mixed-race descendants of Chinese who came to Cuba in their ancestors' generation, artistic masters who followed their dreams of art to "practice" in Cuba, and well-known businessmen in the industry. This small group of only a hundred people is more united, purer, and more concentrated than the large Chinese communities in Europe and America, reflecting the vicissitudes of the Chinese "sea crossing" journey over the past century.
Encountering the "Cuban Bruce Lee" in Chinatown
Different from the bustling Chinatowns in many parts of the world, Havana's "CHINA TOWN" is just a narrow alleyway with a distinct "overseas Chinese style" to ordinary people - narrow roads lined with different Chinese restaurants, red decorations, wall paintings of plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, chrysanthemums, tai chi, and red lanterns... Among these restaurants, the largest and most eye-catching one is called Tian Tan Restaurant. As we climbed the narrow stairs to the second floor, the boss, with a mix of Latin American and Chinese features, was holding a microphone, dressed in traditional Chinese clothing, passionately singing for the local Cuban diners.
The "Tian Tan Restaurant" with a distinct overseas Chinese style
"My Chinese name is Li Rongfu. I was born in Cuba. My grandfather came from Zhongshan, Guangdong Province to Cuba. I first came to China in 1994 to study martial arts at the Chinese Sports University. It has been 30 years since then. Later, I met a Shanghai girl who became the mother of my two children."
Li's "brief biography" seems to be a microcosm of the relationship between Cuba and the Chinese people. During the colonial era, alongside the evil slave trade, a large number of "coolies" from southern China came to Cuba in the form of "contract labor." They worked 15-20 hours a day in plantations with an average survival period of only five years after completing their eight-year contracts. Most of them died of exhaustion before they could gain freedom. The survivors, like Zhou Runfa in "Detective Chinatown 1900," branched out and even prospered abroad. Before the revolution, 100,000 Chinese in Cuba formed an indispensable group in this tropical island nation.
Nowadays, Li Rongfu is a famous figure in Cuba. His martial arts disciples span all ages, from young children to the elderly, covering everything from tai chi to weapons to dragon and lion dances. He has also opened branches in various provinces across Cuba. Just like the menu at Tian Tan Restaurant, which ranges from classic "Chinatown cuisine" such as Kung Pao Chicken, fried rice, and sweet and sour pork, to more technically challenging Shanghainese dishes like squirrel fish, and fusion dishes tailored to local tastes, "integration and connectivity" are the characteristics of New Era Cubans.
Li Rongfu training his disciples in Chinese martial arts
Posters of Bruce Lee can be seen everywhere in the restaurant, and such "Chinese style" decorations may seem outdated and stereotypical to domestic tourists today, but as Li Rongfu said, he fell in love with Bruce Lee's movies when he was young and developed a liking for the cultural symbol of China represented by him.
Bruce Lee posters are ubiquitous in Tian Tan Restaurant
In today's China, where the film and television industry is highly developed and content production is continuous, Chinese people's understanding of Bruce Lee, who lived more than half a century ago, may have gone beyond the content of his movies and condensed into a cool symbol. However, for old-generation overseas Chinese represented by Lee Fufeng and others, the fate and spirit conveyed through Bruce Lee's world-shaking film works resonate strongly with them:
In "The Big Boss," Bruce Lee plays a Chinese man who goes to work in an overseas factory due to famine in his hometown. After being bullied by the factory owner, he leads a group of fellow workers to rise up against the oppression. In his masterpiece "Enter the Dragon," the young Chinese man Tang Long arrives at a Western metropolis to work in a Chinese restaurant, also being bullied by local thugs. He leads his compatriots to resist, culminating in a spectacular showdown between the agile young Chinese fighter and a white karate master in the ancient Roman Colosseum, becoming an eternal classic in world cinema history.
Bruce Lee's classic movie "Enter the Dragon"
Drifting in poverty, struggling to survive in foreign lands, and eventually achieving prosperity, fighting against discrimination and oppression, is the common fate melody of the first generation of overseas Chinese a century ago. In this Caribbean island country known worldwide for its revolution, the history of the Chinese community has also taken on a heroic revolutionary undertone. The reason behind this is quite legendary—many of the Chinese laborers sold to Cuban plantations were actually captured soldiers from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Although they endured humiliation and wandered far from home, they naturally carried within them the blood of "anti-imperialism and anti-colonialism." During the Cuban War of Independence against colonial rule, the oppressed Chinese rose up, rallying together, "fighting like lions in battle," leaving behind legendary stories worth singing about. To this day, a Chinese "memorial stele" still stands in a square in Havana's capital, inscribed with the words, "In the Cuban War of Independence, no Chinese defected, no Chinese fled."
The memorial stele for the Chinese in the Cuban War of Independence in Havana
Nowadays, the bustling Chinese community in Cuba has become history. As the hot wind of the Caribbean Sea blows over the silent sugarcane fields, it has left behind numerous legends and proverbs related to "Chinese people." Descendants like Li Fufeng, who retain Chinese blood, are retracing their ancestors along the symbols of Bruce Lee, martial arts, and Chinese cuisine.
In 1994, he came to Beijing Sport University to study Chinese martial arts. Over the past thirty years, he frequently traveled between China and Cuba, often visiting Shanghai, Suzhou, and Wuxi. He can now fluently communicate in Chinese and has become a notable figure in the Cuban Chinese community. At the opening ceremony of the recently concluded FitCuba International Tourism Festival, he and his disciples performed martial arts and dragon and lion dances on stage, entertaining the Chinese delegation as honored guests—finally, he has become a "Chinese symbol" in present-day Cuba.
"Mr. Wang" Driving an Old-Fashioned Car
If the older generation of Chinese in Cuba, who arrived during the time of labor, poverty, and tears, represents historical memory, then when Chinese people re-emerged in socialist Cuba in the new century, their spiritual outlook and aspirations have undergone a complete transformation. At this moment, they yearn for poetry and distant horizons, for career and influence in Cuba. Behind them lies their socialist homeland and the confidence of being the world's leading industrial power.
As a tour guide, Wang Guangyan is affectionately called "Wheat" by her travel companions. In the Cuban Chinese community, everyone calls her "Mr. Wang." She bought a cool 1956 green-gray Plymouth vintage car to drive on the streets of Cuba. A single Chinese woman driving an old-fashioned car in Cuba is certainly a novelty. Passersby half admire her and half marvel, shouting, "Look, that Chinese woman!"
Mai Zi at the FitCuba International Tourism Festival site
Mai Zi embodies the strengths of an excellent "small-town problem solver" from the 1980s and a typical "Sichuan girl": bold and straightforward, hardworking, ambitious, eloquent, efficient, and pragmatic... Having studied Traditional Chinese Medicine in university, she changed her fate through education, transforming from a child from the mountains of Sichuan into a white-collar worker in Shanghai. After accompanying her husband to work in a Chinese state-owned enterprise in Cuba, she fell in love with the place: "I love the tropical atmosphere here. The trees are especially expansive, the flowers especially vibrant, the sunlight golden, the sea aquamarine, and I feel an unprecedented sense of relaxation. Life doesn't have to be like my parents', working from dawn till dusk."
The literary gene of this "Caribbean Pearl" successfully awakened, while on the other hand, "I can't rely on my husband's free meals"—the unique diligence and self-reliance genes of Chinese women pushed her to start learning Spanish from scratch in the initial language barrier and scarce resources, entering the tourism industry. Eventually, her husband returned the favor by "following" her to stay in Cuba, and their "tourism + foreign trade" business thrived under their joint efforts.
An important motivation for Mai Zi to engage in tourism was her discovery of how little the peoples of China and Cuba, two "socialist brothers," understood each other: "When we participated in exhibitions domestically, we found that many Chinese people thought Cuba was in Africa, possibly because many famous Cuban athletes are black. On the other hand, many Cubans also didn't understand China, thinking that China and they were 'brothers in adversity,' lacking everything. In fact, China had already greatly enriched its material resources at that time." This cognitive gap made her feel a sense of mission beyond just making money.
On the other hand, the unique sentiment of Cuba in the hearts of China's older generations deeply moved her: "Those uncles and aunts over 65 years old have eaten Cuban sugar since they were young, sing 'Beautiful Havana,' and feel deep resonance and familiarity with Cuba's social system." One tour group member joked that when they dug ditches, they would joke not to dig too deep, as they might dig straight to neighboring Cuba. Much of Mai Zi's work later involved bringing these uncles and aunts to Cuba during their lifetimes.
Scenic views of Havana streets
Beyond tourism, Mai Zi's larger business is acting as a middleman for Chinese industrial products: "Automobile parts, machinery equipment, and other industrial goods. When the Cuban government has procurement needs, we choose suitable quality and price items from China and act as foreign trade intermediaries to bring Chinese manufacturing to Cuba." She candidly admitted that the current scarcity of materials in Cuba is visible to the naked eye, from daily necessities and construction materials to cultural and spiritual commodities. "America's long-standing sanctions on Cuba have not only failed to ease but have tightened further, and the叠加 of the pandemic has made things worse. This has caused problems for many Chinese companies cooperating with Cuba, such as issues with unrecoverable accounts."
Although her business has encountered some setbacks due to the general environment, Mai Zi cannot hide her love for Cuba in her conversation: "This place is blessed with talented people and abundant resources. Workers have exceptionally high qualities. As long as the right development direction is found, the economy will definitely take off quickly. I am also very grateful for the love and inclusiveness of the Cubans towards us."
From a "naive" person who couldn't speak a word of Spanish to now conversing fluently in Spanish with Cuban dignitaries, Mai Zi unconsciously and consciously exhibits the unique spirit of Chinese women in various occasions. She stated that as a student who received orthodox Chinese education, she will never give up her Chinese citizenship. But as a mother, she has been diligently shuttling between China and Cuba with her two sons—receiving orthodox nine-year compulsory education in China while honing her Spanish in Cuba and learning music and tennis from local masters.
"I hope that the essence of traditional Chinese culture will be integrated into their blood and bones, and that they can shoulder the mission of national external publicity, participating in more international affairs." Mai Zi said: "Today, China's national strength is completely different from what it was when those earlier generations of Chinese went out into the world. Although what I say may sound a bit grandiose, I believe that our next generation of Chinese children will bear more leadership responsibilities when they come out."
China's "Wulin Wanderer"
"Chinese people are not good at dancing," this is perhaps a stereotype held by the enthusiastic Latin Americans who have popularized Latin dance worldwide. In the lyrics of the famous Cuban song "To Dance Casino" (Para bailar Casino), there is a slightly teasing line: "Dance, dance, where are the Chinese friends?!"
During the annual Cuban International Tourism Festival, guests from all over the world gather in Havana. Various gatherings, performances, and parties take place continuously. This year, China, as a much-anticipated guest of honor, almost filled Jose Marti Airport in Havana with Chinese people. Artists from the Central National Orchestra also presented a wonderful cultural evening with Cuban artists, attended by the highest leader and prime minister of Cuba.
Dancing is, of course, inevitable. Every Cuban gathering and performance ends with the band tirelessly playing one song after another, with all guests, regardless of age, body type, or skill level, happily dancing together nonstop; even strangers become the most默契 dance partners. This incredibly natural sense of relaxation infects every Chinese guest present. However, at this moment, most of us play the role of happy clappers and appreciators on the sidelines, occasionally daring ones will join the crowd to dance to their own rhythm or grab a Cuban partner to follow suit. Only one Chinese man is an exception.
Standing among a group of Chinese people, Huo Yaofei is "unremarkable" except for his tall stature. But once he steps onto the dazzling salsa dance steps, he instantly becomes the center of attention, drawing everyone's eyes. During the International Tourism Festival, at the special performance of the renowned tropical风情 show in Havana, Huo Yaofei, dressed in a white casual suit, and his elegant and beautiful wife, dressed in a white dress, gracefully danced in the center of the venue. Their superb skills and natural grace earned great face for the "Chinese delegation."
At the "China-Cuba Night" gala, when the last piece of the Central National Orchestra — a Chinese folk music rendition of the Cuban classic "Guantanamera" — was played, the Cuban audience enthusiastically cheered. As the Chinese host, Huo Yaofei stepped onto the stage again, moving to the beat of his dance, igniting the joyous atmosphere of the entire venue.
Huo Yaofei and his wife dancing at the party Photo by Yang Jia
Huo Yaofei's story with Cuba is full of dramatic twists and turns. As the household-name Chinese "star" in present-day Cuba, his "two-way journey" with Cuba, if the keyword "Latin dance" were replaced, would be very similar to a Chinese kung fu story: a gifted young man studies martial arts in a proper school since childhood, achieving success early and sailing smoothly. Until one day, he discovers the vastness of the martial arts world, realizing that there are greater masters beyond him. To pursue higher martial arts realms, he abandons everything he has and sets off on a wandering knight's journey with his sword on his back.
"Hard work pays off," he arrives at a "land beyond the mundane," where martial arts masters are hidden among the common people. Regardless of age or social status, everyone possesses extraordinary skills. Thus, the young man visits rural areas, immediately learning new martial arts upon seeing something novel, sparring with any skilled practitioner he meets. Eventually, he transforms and becomes a true master, gaining fame abroad and becoming a great hero.
In 1996, Huo Yaofei entered Capital University of Physical Education, where he began studying ballroom Latin dance during his college years. Training, competing, obtaining teaching qualifications, and earning national review certifications... he progressed along the familiar path of learning in China. One day, he opened a new world at a Latin-style bar in Beijing—"ballroom" dance is not the only "Latin" dance; there's also salsa, which is even more "Latin." Thus, he seized every opportunity in China to meet Latin American students, diplomats, and dancers, observing their dance moves at parties, socializing, and "stealing" techniques, gradually becoming one of the top native salsa dancers in the country.
In 2003 during the SARS outbreak, he traveled for 41 hours to reach his dream destination of Cuba. In his mind, Cuba was a place where everyone on the streets was a "master of martial arts." In Cuba, he made friends at dance venues accompanied by famous bands, met ordinary people on the streets, exchanged contact information, attended their dance gatherings, "apprenticed" with newly acquainted street dancers in their humble homes, danced with construction workers on the beach, and later specialized in studying art and dance in Cuba. He took the "camel" bus to cross the country, watched folk dancers perform at the "House of Ballads" in Santiago, learned "son" music, and sparred with Cuban youth in the square of the revolutionary圣地, Santa Clara...
Huo Yaofei learning from folk artists during his study abroad period
Finally, in 2005, he participated in the International Pop Dance and Salon Competition held in Havana and became the first Chinese salsa dancer to appear on an international stage. His seamless partnership with his dance partner won them the championship. This news was big in Cuba, as a Chinese person winning a championship in salsa dance's birthplace was akin to a Cuban winning the Chinese Poetry Conference, instantly making Huo Yaofei a household name in Cuba.
Dance is the most comfortable social language for Cubans. Even without knowing Spanish, Huo Yaofei could perfectly blend in as soon as he started dancing. After becoming famous, he became a bridge between the two cultures, and year after year, he joyfully fulfilled this mission through his actions, becoming the "superb dancer, especially charming Chinese man" in the hearts of Cubans.
Huo Yaofei and his dance frequently appear at various cultural exchange events between China and Cuba, becoming a bridge of arts between the two countries
In July 2012, at a banquet at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, Vice President Xi Jinping asked sitting beside him Cuban revolutionary leader Raul Castro, "What do you think of their dancing?" Raul tasted a sip of Maotai liquor, his gaze firm, saying, "Excellent! Better than Cubans!"
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