HAVANA -- China and Cuba on Friday pledged to upgrade their bilateral ties to a new level and enhance cooperation in a variety of areas especially in fighting corruption.

Zhao Hongzhu, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said China is set to significantly enhance ties with the island nation.

During a visit to Cuba at the invitation of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), Zhao held separate meetings with Salvador Valdes Mesa, a member of the political bureau of the PCC Central Committee and vice president of the Cuban Council of State, and Abelardo Alvarez Gil, a member of the Secretariat of the PCC Central Committee.

Zhao also held talks with Gladys Bejerano, vice president of the Cuban Council of State and comptroller general of Cuba.

China attaches great importance to developing relations with Cuba, Zhao said, adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Cuban President Raul Castro met on various occasions in recent years and the two leaders reached consensus on deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in a variety of areas.

Zhao said China will be a partner in Cuba's development and reform efforts.

The senior CPC anti-graft official also briefed the Cuban leaders on how China has strengthened discipline since the 18th CPC National Congress back in 2012.

The Cuban leaders said Cuba cherishes the traditional friendship between the two countries.

Cuba is mapping out its mid-and-long-term development plan, they said, adding Cuba will learn from the CPC the experiences of party and state governance and is willing to cooperate with China in anti-corruption work.