Castro's China visit to boost ties

Cuba's top leader will begin a state visit to China on Wednesday to further boost both bilateral ties and his country's ongoing reforms.

Raul Castro, president of Cuba's Council of State and Council of Ministers, is scheduled to visit China for four days at the invitation of President Hu Jintao, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a daily news conference on Monday.

Liu said China attaches great importance to this visit, during which both sides will sign cooperation deals.