Cuba News and Information

AIN

Cuba and China signed a bilateral collaboration agreement in the field of biotechnology in Beijing on Monday.

The accord will extend over the next 3-5 years and was signed by Cuban Government Minister Ricardo Cabrisas and China’s Vice Chairman of the State Development and Reform Commission Zhang Xiaoqiang.

The sides described the pact as one that sets up the basis for the continuation of biotech projects and promoting new ones, while paving the way for further exploring mutual assistance in health care.

According to Juventud Rebelde newspaper, the agreement came during the first China-Cuba joint-working meeting on biotechnology, held in Beijing this month. There, representatives reviewed all the work done to define common interests and projects to be jointly developed.

This responds to the common willingness to strengthen institutional cooperation, foster biotech collaboration and study the establishment of joint companies and research and development plans, among other actions.

During his visit to China, Cabrisas visited several industrial complexes and met with local authorities, including the Education Minister Zhou Ji, and top executives of companies having economic and commercial relations with Cuba.

Last Friday, the Cuban official and China’s Trade Minister Bo Xilai chaired the 18th session of the Cuba-China Inter-governmental Commission for Economic and Commercial Relations.