China pledges to boost ties, cooperation with Cuba

HAVANA -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday that China will promote bilateral relations and enhance mutually beneficial cooperation with Cuba.

Wang made the remarks while meeting separately with Cuban leader Raul Castro and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez during a visit to Havana, the first stop of his Latin America tour.

Wang said that China and Cuba are good friends, comrades and brothers, and the continuous development of a comprehensive friendly relationship with Cuba is China's steadfast diplomatic policy.

China is ready to carry on the traditional friendship and promote high-level exchanges with Cuba, he said.

Wang urged the two countries to translate the strength of their high-level political relationship into concrete results of mutually beneficial cooperation and further promote exchanges on their respective experience in governance.

He also called for enhanced bilateral cooperation in such key areas as trade, investment, agriculture, infrastructure, energy and mining, saying the two sides need to foster new growth points in cooperation in tourism, renewable resources and bio-technology.

They should also staunchly support each other's search for a development path suited to their respective national conditions, he said.

Additionally, China and Cuba need to strengthen coordination in global and regional affairs, and China believes that Cuba will continue to play a positive and constructive role in promoting the development of the China-Latin America relationship, Wang added.

Castro, for his part, agreed that Cuba and China enjoy a profound traditional friendship and high-level mutual political trust.

Cuba is willing to promote practical cooperation in various areas with China and deepen bilateral exchanges on national construction experience, thus pushing bilateral ties to new heights, said Castro.

Rodriguez said that Cuba is willing to expand its practical cooperation with China in economy and trade, as well as investment.

Wang's four-nation Latin America tour will also take him to Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil.