Cuban President Raul Castro signs deals in China

6 July 2012 Last updated at 02:14 GMT

Cuban President Raul Castro signs deals in China

Cuban President Raul Castro is meeting Chinese leaders in Beijing,
signing agreements aimed at deepening already close ties between the two
allies.

Mr Castro is due to meet Vice-President Xi Jinping and Vice Premier Li
Keqiang, who are widely expected to take over China's top leadership posts.

On Thursday he met President Hu Jintao and signed several co-operation
deals.

China pledged to aid Cuba with a new credit line and with health care
and technology.

The promises were part of a series of agreements between the two
countries, reports said, although no details were given.

Mr Hu urged more co-operation with Cuba on trade, energy, infrastructure
construction, agriculture and biotechnology, state-run Xinhua news
agency said.

Mr Castro's four-day visit is his first to China since taking over the
leadership from his brother, Fidel, in 2008.

It follows one by Mr Xi to Havana last year.

"We are very pleased that in recent years, the relationship between
China and Cuba has continued to deepen and develop," Mr Castro said.

China is Cuba's second largest trading partner, after Venezuela.

Mr Castro will also visit Vietnam after China, according to the official
Granma newspaper.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-18732727