Cuba and China Reaffirm Willingness to Strengthen Bonds

Cuba and China reaffirmed on Friday the willingness to strengthen bilateral cooperation on the basis of their excellent political and friendship relations, during the close of the meeting of the 28th Intergovernmental Commission, held for two days in this capital.

Rodrigo Malmierca, Cuban minister of Foreign Trade and Investment (MINCEX), and Zhang Xiangchen, vice-president of International Trade Negotiations of the Chinese Ministry of Trade, signed the final minutes of this session and three projects that completed their execution successfully.

At the protocol hall of MINCEX, the presidents of the Commission stressed the significance of this meeting, which coincided with preparations for the visit to Cuba next month of the Chinese Prime Minister, where the signing of important agreements is expected in the economic area.

The Cuban minister specified that the two parties are working on the preparation of these documents, which will boost ties between the two nations.

While referring to the final document of the session he noted that it reaffirms the excellent state of relations, especially in the economic field, and that it will give continuity to very active exchanges, not only in commerce.

He stressed that Chinese investments are already beginning to be evident in the Cuban market, and that there is a strategic vision, in a medium and long term, to boost ties, in line with the plans that both nations have devised until 2013.

Xiangchen underlined that this time the two parties recapitulated progress made in the past year and works planned for 2017.

Malmierca and Xiangchen signed the minutes on projects already executed, for the supply of equipment for measuring water and sanitation of the capital, and the second phase of the digital television program.

Also attending the meeting were Tou Zhang, Chinese ambassador in Havana, and the official and business delegations from both countries that participated in the session.