Chinese leaders congratulate Cuba’s new leader

BEIJING—Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday jointly sent a congratulatory message to Raul Castro for his election as president of Cuba In the message, Hu and Wen said they believe that under the leadership of President Raul and the Cuban government, the Cuban people will make new achievements in safeguarding state sovereignty and national dignity, as well as in the great course of Cuban socialist revolution and construction.
Hu and Wen said since China and Cuba established diplomatic relations 48 years ago, the bilateral relations have been witnessing consolidation and development day by day. The mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries has made numerous significant achievements and the two peoples have forged a friendship like brothers.
It has been proved that the friendly relation between China and Cuba is in accordance with the basic interests of the two peoples and is beneficial to maintaining world peace and boosting common development, said the Chinese leaders in the message. They noted that China would like to continue to make efforts with Cuba to consolidate and deepen the mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields and to foster the good fellowship between the two peoples.
Raul Castro was elected on Sunday as president of Cuba during a legislative session of the Cuban National Assembly of People’s Power. China on Tuesday congratulated Cuba’s new leader Raul Castro, the younger brother of Fidel Castro, who stepped down last week after 49 years in power. “China and Cuba are friendly nations, and China will continue to work with Cuba to push forward reciprocal and friendly relations,” said Liu Jianchao, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman. Liu told a regular press conference that China had advocated respect for the Cuban people’s decision.—Xinhua