China, Cuba vow to expand cooperation and advance ties
Campaign News | Monday, 18 April 2005
Raul Castro in Beijing
Beijing 18 April: Chinese and Cuban leaders vowed Monday to expand cooperation and advance ties between the two countries.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, while meeting visiting Cuban leader Raul Castro Ruz, said that over recent years, China and Cuba had developed a profound, friendly relationship and had also continuously made new achievements in economic and trade cooperation.
"The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government treasure very much the China-Cuba friendship," Wen said.
He said China was willing to work closely with Cuba to actively implement the cooperation agreements signed between the two countries during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Cuba last November, and to push the bilateral economic and trade relations to a new high through down-to-earth endeavors.
Raul Castro, second secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, said that the Communist Party of China had won world recognition for its achievements in exploring a course of development that fit the national conditions of China.
He said that the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government were not only good at developing the economy, but also good at securing a well-coordinated and harmonious development.
The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government earnestly resolved various problems emerging in the course of development, and persisted in making scientific decisions on the basis of investigation and research, he said.
He said that the Communist Party of Cuba and the Cuban government were willing to further strengthen and expand friendly exchanges and cooperation with the Communist Party of China, the Chinese government and the Chinese people, so as to achieve common development through learning from each other.
Raul Castro arrived in Beijing on Sunday as guest of the Communist Party of China. He also serves as first vice-president of the Council of State and first vice-president of the Council of Ministers of Cuba.
It is Raul Castro's second visit to China since 1997.
http://english.people.com.cn/200504/18/eng20050418_181628.html
