Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday met with Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, who is in Shanghai for the 6th China International Import Expo.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 4, 2023. Marrero is in Shanghai for the 6th China International Import Expo. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

Noting China and Cuba are both socialist countries under the communist party leadership, Li said that the special friendly relationship between the two countries is unbreakable and has grown from strength to strength.

He said that China stands ready to work with Cuba to follow through on the important common understandings of the two heads of state, strengthen political mutual trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and achieve more tangible cooperation results, to make greater progress in building a China-Cuba community with a shared future.

China will, as always, support Cuba's efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and its just cause of opposing foreign interference, Li said, calling for more cooperation in fields such as new energy, biomedicine, agriculture, tourism, and the digital economy, to bring more tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Marrero said that Cuba firmly supports a series of important initiatives proposed by China, upholds the one-China principle, and is willing to strengthen the exchange of experience in governance and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields.

Cuba also stands ready to make unremitting efforts in promoting cooperation between China and Latin American and Caribbean states, Marrero said.

After the meeting, Li and Marrero attended a signing ceremony for several documents regarding bilateral cooperation.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 4, 2023. Marrero is in Shanghai for the 6th China International Import Expo. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)