HAVANA -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping's special envoy Song Tao on Monday met with officials of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) during his visit to the island country.

Song, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met with Jose Ramon Balaguer, chief of the Department of International Relations of the Central Committee of the PCC and updated his host about the 19th CPC National Congress held in October.

Song and Balaguer signed an agreement on the exchanges and cooperation between the CPC and the PCC which will run through 2020.

Song paid tribute to Cuba's national hero Jose Marti in front of his memorial stone at the Revolution Square in Havana.

On Tuesday, Song will visit an agricultural cooperative on the outskirts of the capital to learn about Cuba's experiences in developing urban and sustainable agriculture.

Along with his CPC delegation, the Chinese official will also tour the Mariel Special Development Zone located some 45 km west of Havana, a flagship project for economic development and foreign investment in Cuba.