Xi congratulates Miguel Diaz-Canel on election as Cuba's new president

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Miguel Diaz-Canel on his election as the new Cuban president in a message on Thursday.

Xi said in the congratulatory message that China and Cuba are good comrades, good friends and good partners that sincerely trust each other and share the same fate, adding that the two peoples have cultivated deep friendship through long and hard struggles, serving as a strong force to promote the development of bilateral ties.

In today's world where international and regional circumstances are witnessing profound and complex changes, China and Cuba have both embarked on a new march for progress, said Xi, adding that China is willing to join Cuba on the way forward.

He also said that he is willing to work with Diaz-Canel to deepen and expand bilateral cooperation, and achieve new accomplishments that can honor the China-Cuba friendship in a new era.

In a separate message to Raul Castro, who remains the first secretary of the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party of Cuba, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said he is ready to maintain close communications with Castro so as to push China-Cuba ties further forward.

Also on Thursday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sent a congratulatory message to Diaz-Canel.

Li said China is willing to work with Cuba to continuously promote bilateral cooperation and work for a steady development of China-Cuba ties.