Hu takes trade tour to Cuba
23 November 2004
Praising the "heroic Cuban people" President Hu Jintao arrived on an official two-day visit to Cuba, kicking off with talks in Havana with President Fidel Castro. While the Cuban media has portrayed the visit as a display of solidarity among communist brothers, Hu's visit is expected to focus heavily on business. Among contracts likely to be discussed are Chinese plans to invest in an unfinished Soviet nickel mine on the island, as well as telecommunications and tourism deals. Cuba is the last stop on the Chinese leader's sweep through South America, a tour that has included stops in Brazil, Chile and Argentina and seen agreements worth billions of dollars in trade and investment signed.