Chinese President Receives Raul Castro

HAVANA TIMES — Chinese President Hu Jintao met today with his Cuban counterpart, President Raul Castro, at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing. The two held official talks after a private dialogue session, reports the Prensa Latina news agency.

The presidents later attended a session in which eight cooperation agreements were signed, including an economic-technical cooperation agreement for a grant from China to Cuba and another one for an interest free loan.

Among the agreements highlighted were those linked to digital television equipment, collaboration between the two countries’ customs offices and their ministries of Agriculture, and a loan from the China Development Bank to the National Bank of Cuba for the rehabilitation and modernization of medical facilities.

According to the news article, the Cuban president will be received tomorrow by Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, government deputy Li Keqiang; and Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, who visited Cuba in 2011.