China bought out Cuban cigar maker Habanos and cut ingredients and quality.

The finding

What the evidence shows

Part of this is real. In 2020 a Hong Kong firm, Allied Cigar, bought the 50 percent of Habanos S.A. that Imperial Brands had held, and it is believed to be led by Chinese-born businessman Chen Zhi. But the Cuban state still owns the other 50 percent, and the cigars are still made in Cuba, so Habanos was not bought out by China. The changes reported under the new owners were supply cuts to some countries, big price hikes and farming and fuel shortages in Cuba. I found no evidence that ingredients were slashed or that quality was cut to please Chinese buyers. A cigar-industry analysis showing lower tobacco quality traced to the new owners, rather than to Cuba's farming problems, would flip this.