Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao said on Wednesday
that China hopes Cuban leader Fidel Castro would recover from
illness as soon as possible and pledged that China will continue to
cement friendly ties with Cuba.
Liu's comments came after Castro announced that he would not
accept the position of president of the Council of State and
commander in chief.
Liu said in a statement that Castro is a leader who holds in
high esteem by the Cuban people, and is also an old friend of the
Chinese people.
"China hopes he (Castro) would get well soon," Liu said, adding
that China will continue to cement and further develop the friendly
relations of cooperation with Cuba.
(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2008)
