China's ambassador awarded Cuba's highest foreign service medal

China's ambassador to Cuba, Zhang Tuo, on Thursday received the Friendship Medal, the highest award granted by the Cuban government to a foreign diplomat.

The medal recognizes the efforts made by the ambassador to consolidate ties between the two countries.

Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodriguez presented Zhang with the medal, congratulating him on his "successful" work at the Chinese embassy over the last four years and nine months.

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Abelardo Moreno said Zhang devoted his efforts to strengthening the long-running ties of friendship, cooperation and brotherhood between the two governments, communist parties and peoples.

During his tenure, the longest of the 17 Chinese ambassadors who have served in the Caribbean country, he helped to boost and expand bilateral ties in all fields and strengthen political dialogue between the top leaders of the two nations, said Moreno.

Zhang played a vital role in the successful visits to China of Cuban President Raul Castro in 2012, and First Vice President Miguel Diaz Canel in 2013 and 2015, as well as the visits to Cuba by China's President Xi Jinping in 2014, and Premier Li Keqiang last September, noted Moreno.

"The visits had a very positive outcome towards consolidating mutual trust and cooperation," he added.

Zhang thanked the Cuban government for the award, saying it was a great honor for him to mark the end of his 39-year diplomatic career with this medal.

"I deserve half of this medal because the other half must go to my colleagues at the embassy, the government and the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Cuba, because you have made great contributions so that I can have this merit and receive this recognition," he said.

Zhang added he had had the privilege to witness the "rapid development" of relations between China and Cuba.

"Cuba will have a faithful, loyal, committed and hardworking friend, willing to make bilateral relations last for generations," he said.