Cuban President Raul Castro received visiting deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Ma Xiaotian in Havana on Dec. 17.

Ma said the China-Cuba traditional friendship, fostered by several generations of Chinese leaders, former Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Raul Castro, has grown increasingly stronger since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 1960.

He expressed his hope and confidence in more impressive achievements in Cuba 's social and economic development.

Cuban President Raul Castro said that Cuba is speeding up an adjustment of its economic model, which is of critical importance to the cause of Cuban socialist construction in Cuba .

During his visit from Dec. 13, Ma held talks with Deputy Minister of Cuban Armed Forces Alvaro Lopez Miera and his counterpart, Leonardo Andollo./.