China awards Confucius peace prize to Cuba’s Fidel Castro
Former Cuban leader awarded ‘China’s Nobel’ but does not travel to receive Confucius prize in person
China has awarded Fidel Castro the fourth annual Confucius Peace Prize, dubbed ‘China’s Nobel’. The former leader of Cuba did not travel to China to receive the honour, which was collected on his behalf by a Cuban exchange student, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports.
Other nominees for the prize, which was established in 2010, included United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and South Korean President Park Geun Hye.
The choice of Castro sets China at odds with the US, where Castro – a hero to many on the political left in Europe – is seen as having been a repressive dictator.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The award follows China’s president Xi Jinping’s visit to Cuba in July, during which he enjoyed a rare meeting with the 86-year-old Castro. After falling seriously ill in 2006, the retired Cuban leader handed power to his younger brother Raul. He now makes few public appearances.
Xi said the opening-up of Cuba’s economy overseen by Raul Castro had created new opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties between the two single-party communist nations, the SCMP reported in July.
Castro was praised by the academics who awarded the prize for his “important contributions” to nuclear disarmament. The SCMP quotes the state-run Global Times: “While in office, Castro did not resort to violence or force to settle disputes in international relations, especially with the United States.
“After his retirement, he has been actively meeting with leaders and groups from all over the world and has made important contributions … to eliminate nuclear war.”
The timing of the announcement suggests the award is intended as a Chinese response to the Nobel Peace Prize, which was given yesterday jointly to teenage Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, who survived being shot in the head by the Taliban and now campaigns for girls’ education, and Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian children’s rights campaigner.
Taiwanese vice-president Lien Chan was given the first Confucius Peace Prize in 2010, just two days before the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. The first trophy was awarded at a chaotic press conference in Beijing where Chan’s aides said they had not been notified of the existence of the prize.
While the Confucius Peace Prize is thought to have been set up by the Chinese government, according to a Wall Street Journal blog, Chinese officials have since tried to distance themselves from the prize. In 2011, they announced it would be discontinued.
The controversial prize is now awarded by the China International Peace Studies Center, a group of academics not affiliated to the government. Some analysts have suggested that China may hope the prize will gain more international credibility if it is independently run. Another previous winner (in 2011) was Russia's Vladimir Putin.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Antony Gormley's Time Horizon – a 'judgmental army' of 100 cast-iron men
The Week Recommends Sculptures are 'everymen questioning the privilege of their surroundings' at the Norfolk stately home
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'King's horses take free rein through London'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Is pop music now too reliant on gossip?
Talking Point Taylor Swift's new album has prompted a flurry of speculation over who she is referring to in her songs
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Gaza hospital blast: What the video evidence shows about who's to blame
Speed Read Nobody wants to take responsibility for the deadly explosion in the courtyard of Gaza's al-Ahli Hospital. Roll the tape.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giraffe poo seized after woman wanted to use it to make a necklace
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Helicopter sound arouses crocodiles
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Woman sues Disney over 'injurious wedgie'
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Emotional support alligator turned away from baseball stadium
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Europe's oldest shoes found in Spanish caves
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Artworks stolen by Nazis returned to heirs of cabaret performer
It wasn't all bad Good news stories from the past seven days
By The Week Staff Published