Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Havana on Monday for his first state visit to Cuba since taking office.
In the Latin American and Caribbean nation, Xi will hold talks with Cuban leader Raul Castro to draw up a blueprint for the future development of China-Cuba relations.
In written remarks released upon arrival, Xi recalled that, back in 1960, Cuba became the first Latin American and Caribbean nation to forge diplomatic relations with New China, opening a new chapter for China-Latin America ties.
Since then the two nations have withstood the tests of a constantly changing international landscape.
Xi said the two good friends, comrades and brothers have contributed a lot to promoting solidarity and cooperation among developing countries and safeguarding their common interests.
The president said with both nations now in a critical juncture for development, they face new important opportunities to grow their relations.
The Chinese president hoped that with joint efforts from both sides, his visit will achieve the goal of promoting friendship, deepening mutual trust, expanding cooperation and boosting development.
The two sides will also sign documents of cooperation covering the economy, trade, agriculture, bio-technology, culture and education.
For years, China has been Cuba's second-largest trading partner, while Cuba is China's largest partner in the Caribbean, with bilateral annual trade standing at a little less than 2 billion U.S. dollars.
China has been a rising key foreign investor in Cuba especially after 2012 when world countries, developed and developing countries alike, were battered by a devastating financial crisis.
China granted free assistance and interest-free loans to Cuba to promote bilateral economic and technological cooperation, and undertook several large-scale infrastructure projects in Cuba.
Cuba is the last leg of Xi's four-nation Latin America tour, which has already taken him to
Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela.
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