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China's President Hu Jintao welcomed his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro at an official ceremony in Beijing on Thursday (July 5).
81-year old Castro, who is in China on a four-day visit to seek economic partnership, arrived at the Chinese capital on Wednesday (July 4) morning.
Castro is visiting China for the first time after taking power from his brother, Fidel Castro, in 2008.
The ceremony, held at the Great Hall of the People, was followed by a bilateral meeting between the two leaders afterwards.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the two sides are expected to sign a series of cooperation deals in trade and development.
China is the Cuba's second largest trading partner after Venezuela.
