Have your considered that Cuba's development may be impacted by the fact that the global hegemon has spent decades finding new and creative ways to fuck Cuba over. It's basically this problem that every existing socialist state has right now https://cym.ie/2020/04/01/left-anti-communism-the-unkindest-cut-by-michael-parenti/

Yet, despite all the problems Cuba has, it has higher life expectancy than US, higher literacy, and it's one of the most sustainable countries in the world. Cuba also managed to effectively protect its population during covid and develop its own vaccines. All while being a tiny island under siege. These are the material tangible benefits that are a direct result of the socialist system Cuba has.

Meanwhile, if the west ever does become socialist then the flavor of socialism it will have will necessarily be rooted in the conditions of the west, its culture, history, and all other factors that are unique to the west. This is why I think there isn't much value in worrying about how China or other socialist countries developed. Each country has its own unique circumstances, and no two are exactly alike. China is different from Cuba, or Vietnam, or what USSR was. The only key principle is that the core of the economy is publicly owned and that the working class holds power as opposed to capitalists. How that's accomplished is up to the people of each country to figure out.