BEIJING, Nov. 25 -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, held talks Friday with Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) and Cuban president, at the Great Hall of the People during his state visit to China.

Xi pointed out that President Diaz-Canel is the first head of state from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to visit China after the 20th CPC National Congress, and it speaks volumes about the special and friendly relations between the two parties and two countries.

"Cuba was the first country in the Western hemisphere to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and China-Cuba relations have become an example of solidarity and cooperation between socialist countries and sincere mutual assistance between developing countries," Xi said.

China is ready to work with Cuba to deepen political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests, strengthen coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, move forward together in building socialism with national characteristics, and continuously deepen China-Cuba relations in the new era, Xi said.

Xi expounded on the key outcomes of the 20th CPC National Congress. He stressed that the CPC is leading the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization.

He said sustained efforts will be made to uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership, follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, apply a people-centered development philosophy, continuously deepen reform and opening up, and carry forward the fighting spirit. He said it is important to develop the country and the nation with its own strength, and maintain a firm grasp on the future of China's development and progress.

Xi called on the CPC and the PCC to maintain close communication, make full use of such mechanisms as the theoretical seminar between the two parties, strengthen exchange and mutual learning, and work together to promote innovation in socialist theories and progress in the practice, open a new frontier in adapting Marxism to national contexts and the needs of the times, and build socialism that fits their respective national conditions.

Xi stressed that China and Cuba are good friends who trust each other, good comrades committed to the same cause, and good brothers sharing weal and woe. The traditional friendship between the two countries has been forged and nurtured with great care by the elder generations of Chinese and Cuban leaders.

He said that over the 62 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, despite the constantly changing international situation, China and Cuba have remained steadfast in deepening their friendship featuring sincerity and trust, in pursuing mutually-beneficial and win-win cooperation, and in working together as partners in the cause of reform and development.

Xi said China always views and develops the relations between the two parties and two countries from a strategic height, and places China-Cuba relations in a special position in its diplomacy.

"However the international situation may evolve, China's policy of upholding long-term friendship with Cuba will not change, its determination to support Cuba in following the path of socialism will not change, and its resolve to work with Cuba to defend international fairness and justice and oppose hegemony and power politics will not change," the Chinese president said.

He said under the new circumstances, the two sides need to enhance strategic coordination, and work together to build a China-Cuba community with a shared future in the process of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

"China will continue to firmly support Cuba in safeguarding national sovereignty and opposing foreign interference and blockade. China is ready to work with Cuba on the implementation of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI) to jointly promote world peace and development," Xi said.

"Currently, comrades in Cuba are confronted with great challenges," Xi said. "But the cause of socialism always advances through surmounting difficulties. China firmly believes that comrades in Cuba will overcome all difficulties, and China will do its best to provide support and assistance."

China is ready to work with Cuba to deepen practical cooperation across the board, implement the plan on Belt and Road cooperation, and jointly advance the socialist modernization drive, Xi said.

Pointing out that cooperation between China and the LAC is South-South cooperation in nature, Xi said such cooperation is premised on mutual respect, guided by the principle of mutual benefit, characterized by openness and inclusiveness, and aimed at achieving common development.

It is consistent with the trend of the world and of history, and serves the common interests of countries in the region, Xi said.

At present, the political landscape in the LAC region is undergoing a new round of profound adjustment. China attaches great importance to the development of its relations with LAC countries, and will work with Cuba and other LAC countries to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and pursue greater progress in the China-LAC comprehensive cooperative partnership of equality, mutual benefit and common development in the new era, so as to deliver greater benefits to the people of both sides, Xi said.

Diaz-Canel expressed sincere thanks to Xi for inviting him to be the first Latin American head of state to visit China after the successful conclusion of the 20th CPC National Congress.

On behalf of the PCC and the country, he once again extended warm congratulations on the success of the 20th CPC National Congress, on Xi's re-election as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and on China's historic achievements in advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of President Xi, which has greatly encouraged the progressive forces around the world.

Diaz-Canel said that he and the PCC senior leadership have rigorously studied President Xi's report to the 20th CPC National Congress. He said that faced with the exceptionally complex and grave political and economic situation, Cuba will look to China as an example, tackle the challenges head on and creatively, and achieve the goal of building socialism.

Diaz-Canel stressed that developing relations with China is among the top priorities in Cuba's foreign policy. The Cuban side reaffirmed its firm commitment to the one-China principle and the support for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as well as the GDI and the GSI. It will further strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in regional and international multilateral mechanisms such as the CELAC-China Forum and the Group of 77 and China, and make further contributions to growing LAC-China relations and upholding the common interests of developing countries.

At the end of the talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of bilateral documents on party-to-party exchange, the consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries, Belt and Road cooperation and practical cooperation.

The two sides issued a Joint Statement on Deepening China-Cuba Relations in the New Era between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Cuba.

Prior to the talks, President Xi held a welcoming ceremony for Diaz-Canel in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People. A 21-gun salute was fired in Tiananmen Square. The two presidents stepped onto the stand to review the guard of honor of the People's Liberation Army.

After the talks, President Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan hosted a welcoming banquet for President Diaz-Canel and his wife Lis Cuesta Peraza.

Wang Yi and He Lifeng were present at the events.