Xi expresses condolences at Cuban embassy

President Xi Jinping visited the Cuban embassy in Beijing on Tuesday to mourn the passing of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, whom he called a "great friend of the Chinese people".

It's the first time that Xi went to a foreign embassy to express condolences for the passing of a foreign leader since he became president in 2013.

"We mourned with deep grief for the Cuban people's excellent leader and the Chinese people's great friend, Comrade Fidel Castro," Xi wrote on the book of condolences.

Xi also dispatched Vice-President Li Yuanchao as his special envoy to Cuba for the funeral of Castro, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.

Xi had previously sent a message of condolence on Saturday to Raul Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, president of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba.

"The great comrade Fidel Castro will be forever remembered," Xi said in the message.

Castro led Cuba for nearly half a century before stepping down for health reasons in 2006, when he passed the baton to his brother, Raul.