He Guoqiang meets Fidel Castro in Havana
 
(2008.06.25)


HAVANA, June 25  -- A visiting Senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee met here Tuesday with Fidel Castro, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, to discuss relations between their two countries.

During the over-two-hour meeting, He Guoqiang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee, exchanged views on wide-ranging international and regional issues of common interest with Castro in an in-depth way.

He conveyed the Chinese leaders' greetings to Castro who asked He to pass on his good wishes to the Chinese leaders in return.

Castro also extended his invitation to Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of China's Central Military Commission, to visit Cuba again.

He, also secretary of the CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, spoke highly of Castro's historic contributions to the development of friendly Sino-Cuban relations, as he is an old friend of the Chinese people and has been committed to the bilateral friendship in recent years.

After China was hot by a devastating earthquake on May 12, Castro instructed to send a medical team to China and called the Cuban Embassy in China and the medical team several times to learn about the situation.

Castro also met with members of the medical team after it returned to Cuba from China.

He highlighted Castro's concern about China and said that Castro's actions deeply moved the CPC, the Chinese government and the Chinese people.

He positively evaluated relations between the two Communist parties and the two countries, saying that it is the unswerving guideline of the CPC and the Chinese government to continuously consolidate and develop bilateral friendship and cooperation.

The new CPC leadership will, as always, support the development of Cuba's various undertakings, He said.

Castro, who is still recovering from an operation, asked in detail about China's quake relief, the preparations for the Olympic Games and economic and social development, saying that he is closely following China's development and the world situation and he is glad to see China's achievements.

Castro said the two parties and the two countries have always supported and assisted each other during the building of socialism with their own characteristics.

Cuba always regards China as a sincere friend, is proud of China's achievements and will learn from China's successful experiences, Castro said.

Castro stressed that strengthening and enhancing the friendly bilateral relations is Cuba's unchangeable line.

Castro wished the Beijing Olympics a success and talked about the competition that the two countries' athletes may face during the Games.

Cuba is the first leg of He's four-country tour that will also take him to Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil and Angola.


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