Chinese foreign minister starts Latin America tour

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in Cuba Sunday, the first stop on a tour of four Latin America countries.

The purpose of the stop in Havana was to pave the way later this year for a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"We are going to be working on political preparations for... the upcoming visit of President Xi Jinping to this island," Wang said.

China is Cuba's number two economic partner after Venezuela. Beijing also is a critical source of financing for the Americas' only Communist-run nation, which is cash-strapped and cannot get financing from most lenders.

Wang met with President Raul Castro in what official media described as a "brotherly exchange that underscored how excellent their bilateral ties are, and that they will continue to improve with an eye toward greater development".

The top Chinese diplomat is due to head to Caracas later Sunday on his second regional stop.