A/Prof. Pan Deng, from the College, recently spoke to a number of local and foreign media on the visa-free policy for Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports announced by the Cuban government on 4 May, 2024 and the resumption of direct flights between China and Cuba since 17 May, 2024.

In an interview with people.cn, Pan Deng said, the new visa-free policy has activated new areas of service trade between the two countries, increasing Cuba's foreign exchange income while enhancing mutual understanding between the two peoples, and it would help Cuba to overcome the current economic difficulties. The daily English Channel and Spanish Channel of people.cn reported on the above views on 6 May, and its Portuguese Channel on 16 May.

In its 8 May press release, the Cuban state news agency Prensa Latina reported on Pan’s views that China and Cuba should innovate and expand forms of cooperation, encouraging the private sector to use the market to help Cuba to boost its commercial activities and service industry.

In an interview with the Global Times, Pan spoke separately about the appeal of Cuban tourism in the global tourism market, the prospects for Chinese tourists choosing to travel to Cuba and the obstacles they still face. The English edition of Global Times reported on these views respectively on 6 May, 16 May and 17 May.

On May 6 and May 17, China.org.cn also reported on Pan's interpretation of ‘resuming direct flights’, as well as the short- and medium-term effects on China's outbound travel market that may present triggered by Cuba’s announcement of ‘unilateral visa exemption’.

These views were adopted or re-cited by major Cuban central and national portals, Spanish, Mexican, Peruvian and Caribbean mainstream media and a number of internationally renowned travel websites.