Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao said on Wednesday that China hopes Cuban leader Fidel Castro would recover from illness as soon as possible and pledged that China will continue to cement friendly ties with Cuba.

Liu's comments came after Castro announced that he would not accept the position of president of the Council of State and commander in chief.

Liu said in a statement that Castro is a leader who holds in high esteem by the Cuban people, and is also an old friend of the Chinese people.

"China hopes he (Castro) would get well soon," Liu said, adding that China will continue to cement and further develop the friendly relations of cooperation with Cuba.

(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2008)