Their government is hostile like a friend’s chihuahua. It will make it known it doesn’t like you, but it ain’t going to do anything about it because it can’t.
The people on the other hand are truly wonderful human beings that would love to be able to have visitors or visit other countries themselves.
Who cares if some politicians feelings get hurt. People want to be free to do what they want in a supposedly free country.
If you open up trade they will become stronger. Look at China before and after we opened up trade with them. What happens of Cuba becomes more powerful and is still hostile while being so close to the US?
The US should oppose expansionist dictatorships that attempt to alter the status quo via forceful revisionism. That's Russia in Ukraine and China in Asia.
I don't see how opposing Cuba achieves anything in the US interests.
Cuba was in the "attempt to alter the status quo via forceful revisionism" club. They had literally thousands of soldiers and "advisors" in various hot spots, trying to export the revolution.
That was the 1970s, though. Cuba was allegedly involved in the coup in Venezuela in 1992; arguably, the chavismo government would not have happened without Cuban involvement. That government still rules Venezuela.
Are they still trying to stir up trouble? If not, how long ago did they stop? I don't know. But there definitely were reasons to impose sanctions on Cuba.
I keep seeing this "expansionist dictatorship" applied to China when the USA is discussed. The USA has invaded plenty of countries in the last few decades, has a history of colonialism (Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico...sure, less than some European countries, but still).
Which countries has China invaded in the past few decades?
Did you say "last few decades" to conveniently exclude their invasion of Vietnam? Not that it matters. Policy should not be made based on a naive extrapolation of historical track record. Culture, interests and leadership are all things that change over time.
Their publicly broadcasted intention is to change the status quo, forcefully if needed. That's a euphemism for invading Taiwan. They keep saying it, over and over. Beyond that, there's a militarism, nationalism and irredentism that permeates Xi's leadership and the culture he has created in his country, which did not exist to the same extent under Deng. The confluence of such factors have historically been a bad omen.
This does not mean that the US should start a war with China. It means the US should pivot its focus to Asia and continue the policy of containment, which is a maintenance of the peaceful status quo through a combination of sticks and carrots. It means the US should be aware that there is a rival there who may start a war on their own terms and on their own schedule when they believe they are capable of defeating the US.
Since WWII
Tibet (annexed)
Korea (at invitation of the North Korean government, but invaded South Korea)
India
USSR
Vietnam
China has been fairly quiet and well behaved since 1980, but it is current quite publicly talking forcefully reintegrating Taiwan and has had continuous naval disputes in the South China Sea.
If we are talking about colonialism, “China” is a land empire that has absolutely dominated its neighbors and often conquered them. Making an apples to apples comparison to European colonialism isn’t very useful and I don’t pretend to know details, but historical China has plenty of expansionist and domineering episodes.
The people on the other hand are truly wonderful human beings that would love to be able to have visitors or visit other countries themselves.
Who cares if some politicians feelings get hurt. People want to be free to do what they want in a supposedly free country.