As the first domestic soy sauce (酱油) factory in Cuba has     1     (begin) to produce Chinese-style soy sauce, the history of such products being imported by the island may soon come to an end.

The factory is part of a project     2     (support) by the Chinese Association Min Chih Tang in the     3     (center) province of Ciego de Avila, located some 400 km east of the Cuban capital Havana.

The project is headed by Mey Ru Chen,     4     34-year-old Chinese woman     5     came to Cuba in 2006 to study tourism. “This is another way to promote Chinese culture. It is     6     (actual) a project whose outcome will highly benefit Cuba, as all soy sauce consumed on the island     7     (import) mainly from Europe. It will help the country reduce imports,” she said.

Her     8     (product) are well accepted by locals, Chen said. “Cubans love soy sauce or ‘Chinese sauce’ as they also call it here. It is used to dress a wide variety of dishes; that is why it is so popular     9     the people of Ciego de Avila.”

“We     10     (receive) high quality training in China two years ago. Our main interest at the moment is to diversify our production in the factory and to continue to foster our traditions,” Morgado, Chen’s husband, said.