On the afternoon of March 23, Municipal Party Secretary Zhu Hongwu met with the delegation led by Cuban Ambassador to China Carlos Miguel Pereira Hernandez in Cold Water Beach.

"Friends come from afar," Zhu Hongwu warmly welcomed the arrival of Ambassador Pereira and his delegation. He said that the Yongzhou (China Cuba) Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center is currently the only intergovernmental cooperation project between China and Cuba in the field of biomedicine. In recent years, the Yongzhou government has attached great importance to the project construction and fully promoted it. Currently, the center has been recognized as one of the 100 major scientific and technological innovation projects in Hunan Province, an international cooperation demonstration base in Hunan Province, and a molecular targeted technology engineering research center in Hunan Province.

Zhu Hongwu expressed the hope to take the visit of Ambassador Pereira as an opportunity to continue to strengthen close cooperation with Cuba, further promote exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in multiple fields such as biomedicine, economic and trade, cultural tourism, medical and health care, and achieve complementary advantages and mutual benefits at a higher level, making new contributions to the continuous development of China Cuba relations.

Pereira said that the cooperation between Cuba and Yongzhou is an important part of the key cooperation fields of China Cuba joint construction of the "the Belt and Road", and also a microcosm of China Cuba friendly development. It is hoped that on the basis of good cooperation, the two sides will continue to deepen cooperation in fields such as biomedicine and science and technology, and build the cooperation model between Yongzhou and Cuba into a model of experience that can be promoted and replicated. Cuba will introduce more high-quality products and advanced technology, and implement production in Yongzhou to benefit the people.

Suli Gela, Director of the Beijing Office of the Cuban Biomedical Group, Dr. Arthur, Leader of the Expert Group of the Yongzhou (Cuba, China) Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center, Yang Qi, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Hunan Provincial Party Committee, Hou Wen, Member of the Standing Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of the Municipal Party Committee, and Liu Lingjun, Member of the Standing Committee and Secretary General of the Municipal Party Committee, attended the meeting.