THE Cuban Government has ordered 719 cars from the Shenzhen-based automaker BYD, which it will rent out to tourists in a deal that is a bright spot for Chinese automakers facing a weak export market.

    The order of 719 cars, the biggest since the company entered the Cuban market in 2014, included BYD’s gasoline vehicle models like L3, S6, G6, M6 and Surui, the company said on its official website Monday.

    The cars will be rented to tourists as Cuba’s tourism industry expects more overseas tourists in the coming years, especially those from the United States. The two countries have announced they would open embassies on each other’s soil after 54 years of enmity.

    BYD entered Cuba in 2014 with the first order of 40 passenger vehicles and was listed on the Cuban government procurement catalog in the same year, according to the company.

    The order was signed during a Shenzhen delegation’s visit to Havana from June 30 to July 1 to mark the 10th anniversary of their sister city relationship. Xu Qin, delegation leader and Shenzhen Mayor, witnessed the signing of the contract with Cuban Foreign Trade and Investment Minister Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz.

    “We welcome more Chinese brands like BYD to provide Cuban people with trustworthy products. We also welcome more Chinese friends to travel here,” said Diaz.

    During a meeting with Xu, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, vice president of Cuba’s Council of Ministers, who has visited Shenzhen on several occasions, said Shenzhen is instructive for Cuba as it is developing its own special economic zone at the port of Mariel, about 50 km west of the capital.

    “The great success Shenzhen has achieved in the past three decades is very encouraging for us,” he said.(SD-Xinhua)