HAVANA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Cuban government on Thursday awarded a Friendship Medal to China's Ambassador to Cuba Zhao Rongxian for his contributions to strengthening friendship and cooperation between Cuba and China.

    The award ceremony was held at Cuba's foreign ministry, during which Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla conferred the medal on Zhao. Cuban Vice President Ricardo Cabrisas and representatives of the diplomatic corps in Havana also attended the ceremony.

    During the ceremony, Zhao said cooperation between the two countries had been successful and would further expand, adding that China and Cuba enjoyed a long-standing friendship.

    According to information from the Cuban government, China is Cuba's second largest commercial partner, one of its main destinations of exports and an important source of credits and donations for the Caribbean island nation.