HAVANA - A senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official said here Saturday China was willing to expand cooperation with Cuba in various fields to promote both countries' economic development.

Cuba was the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic ties with China, Guo Jinlong, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said when he met Mercedes Lopez Acea, vice president of the Cuban Council of State and first secretary of the Havana Provincial Committee of the Cuban Communist Party (CCP).

Guo said the CPC was ready to maintain high-level exchanges with the CCP and share experience in state governance and party building.

As twin cities and capitals, Beijing was willing to work jointly with Havana to deepen cooperation and expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges, said Guo, who is also secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee.

Lopez said the relationship between Cuba and China, which was based on mutual understanding and mutual respect, had become a model of bilateral ties.

Each country faced the task of building socialism with its own national characteristics, she said, adding Cuba was ready to further boost exchanges and cooperation with China.

Guo also met Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, vice president of the Cuban Council of Ministers, on Thursday afternoon.

A CPC delegation led by Guo arrived here Thursday. He will also visit Brazil.