Raul Castro arrives in Beijing for state visit

BEIJING - Raul Castro Ruz, president of Cuba's Council of State and the Council of Ministers, arrived in Beijing Wednesday for a state visit to China at the invitation of President Hu Jintao.

During Raul Castro's four-day tour, he will hold talks with President Hu, and meet with Chinese leaders, including top legislator Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao, Vice-President Xi Jinping and Vice-Premier Li Keqiang.

China believes Raul Castro's visit will further promote the development of China-Cuba relations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said Monday.