HAVANA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Cuban president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, on Sunday returned to the island after a week-long trip to the United Nations General Assembly, where he had bilateral meetings with top world leaders and exchanges with different sectors of the U.S. society.
According to a Cuban State television report, Diaz-Canel was welcomed at Havana's Jose Marti International airport by Raul Castro, first secretary of Communist Party of Cuba, as well as other government and party senior leaders.
After taking off the plane, Diaz-Canel received a hug from Castro and was congratulated by the former president for his visit and intense meetings in the United States.
During his trip to New York, Diaz-Canel delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly where he assured that he'll continue the socialist path started by Fidel Castro in 1959 despite a generational change in leadership.
"The generational change in our government should not deceive the enemies of the revolution," he said. "We are continuity, not rupture."
Diaz-Canel sent a clear message to U.S. President Donald Trump that his administration is willing to talk with Washington but on "equal terms and without renouncing to the country's sovereignty and independence."
Trump has tightened the decades-old economic blockade on the Caribbean nation over the last year and limited U.S. citizens' traveling to the island.
Diaz-Canel also held over 20 bilateral meetings with presidents and top leaders from all over the world, including Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, who is expected to visit Cuba later this year.
During his stay in New York, Diaz-Canel exchanged with representatives of U.S. technology companies like Google that are keen to explore investment opportunities in Cuba.
Also, he met with a U.S. Congress bipartisan group of lawmakers as well as several leaders and businessmen of the agricultural sector which would like to increase its food sales to Havana despite the embargo.
Diaz-Canel participated in a meeting with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and travel representatives seeking to increase the arrival of American visitors after Trump's restrictions last year.
Over 600,000 U.S. citizens traveled to Cuba in 2017 but that number has decreased due to Washington's new policy on the island. Just over 430,000 American visitors have visited the island so far this year.
In his intense visit, the Cuban leader also met with a group of U.S. artists led by famous actor, Robert De Niro, where he urged them to build cultural bridges with the island.
