Cuba's President of Council of State and of Council of Ministers, Fidel Castro, spoke on the phone with Chinese Ambassador to Cuba Zhao Rongxian Thursday evening with both sides exchanging New Year's greetings.

Castro conveyed his special New Year's greetings to President Hu Jintao and all Chinese people through Ambassador Zhao.

Zhao was entrusted to convey Hu's sincere New Year's greetings to Castro and the Cuban people and wished Castro a speedy recovery.

The two sides also discussed the further development of bilateral relations between the two countries.

(Xinhua News Agency December 31, 2006)