On July 6, 2012, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with visiting President of Cuba's Council of State and the Council of Ministers Raul Castro Ruz in Ziguangge, Zhongnanhai.

Wen said China-Cuba friendly relations enjoy a profound basis. He believed the current trip of Raul Castro was of great importance for both sides in cementing exchanges and jointly responding to challenges under the new circumstances. He urged both sides to expand mutually beneficial cooperation in such areas as trade, agriculture, technology, energy and infrastructure based on their respective development plans and according to the policy of "guidance by the government, market operation, enterprises acting as the major players and mutual benefits" and promote each other's economic construction and development for the benefit of the two peoples.

Wen said the overall strength and global status of Latin America is on the rise, which has a positive impact on the shaping of global order. The Chinese premier put forward a series of proposals for cementing China-Latin America ties during his visit to Latin America in June. Wen said Cuba is China's important partner in the Latin American region and will take the rotating presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States in 2013. "We hope to keep close coordination with Cuba to take China-Latin America cooperation to a new high," the premier added.

Hailing fruitful friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation with China in diversified areas in recent years, Raul Castro said Cuba is at an important stage of development, and expects to work out with China a medium and long-term plan for bolstering bilateral cooperation. Bilateral ties have bright prospects, he added.

He recalled Wen's speech at the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean last month, calling it a "guideline" for boosting Latin America-China ties which had drawn close attention from Latin American countries and the international community. Cuba will play a positive role in promoting the implementation of China's proposals, he added.