China's Huawei to supply smartphones to Cuba

Cuba's Etecsa and China's Huawei have signed an agreement to bring smartphones to the island and improve the quality of both voice and data services.

The deal will enable Etecsa to acquire phones "in a reliable way with guarantees" as well as parts and technical training to enable repairs, Efe news agency reported.

The contract "will improve the voice quality and data services offered by Etecsa," said Friday's report.

Etecsa and Huawei have worked together to develop "important telecommunication solutions," said Javier Villariño, the Chinese firm's director of sales in Cuba.

Huawei, with operations in more than 170 countries, has a presence in Cuba for more than a decade, Villariño said.

Trade between Cuba and China, totalled $1.59 billion in the first nine months of this year, an increase of almost 57 percent from the same period in 2014.

More than 40 Chinese companies are taking part this week in the Havana International Fair, the largest business event in Cuba.