The restoration means the removing of the last vestiges of the Cold War in Latin America. Taking this opportunity, the United States is resetting its relations with its southern neighbors and improving its image among them. During the last decade of the war on terrorism, Latin American countries were moving farther away from closing relations with their big neighbor. Anti-Americanism and the attractiveness of other places have been forming a centrifugal pull on U.S. relations with its backyard.

For the world, the reconciliation has been bringing a breath of fresh air to global geopolitical tensions and bleak economic outlooks. It is even arousing new thinking about how to relax relations with Iran and North Korea.

All in all, in terms of the United States' bold policy step toward Cuba, there is a lot that should be highlighted.

But, there are still many challenges ahead. For the United States, globally, with the failure in its backyard, how will it exert its sanctions successfully on other countries such as North Korea, Iran and Russia? What implications will there be for the U.S. and the world if the policy toward Cuba has knock-on effects? Domestically, although U.S. public opinion towards Cuba has been favorable to improved relations, U.S. policy towards Cuba is still controversial. President Obama is using executive authority to push for restored diplomatic relations with Cuba, but there are still considerable obstacles in Congress, particularly for lifting the sanctions law -- the Helms-Burton Act. The Senate even will oppose having a U.S. ambassador in Havana.

What kind of changes will take place in Cuba with the coming of Americans? How will it adjust its relations with other countries in Latin America, for example its close friend Venezuela?

There is still one hot potato for the two countries -- Guantanamo Bay. Cuba has asked for the return of the bay, but several times it has simply not been put on the agenda for discussions.

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.ccgp-fushun.com/opinion/weihongxia.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn