HAVANA (AFP) - Cuba's Electronics Group and China's Haier Group will begin manufacturing one million television sets on the island at the end of this year, designed for use in educational programmes, private homes and for export, Cuba's official news agency said Thursday.

The head of Cuba's electronics industry, Jose Enrique Forcada, said the TVs would use Chinese components but have a Cuban design.

The agreement - signed in November, a day after Chinese President Hu Jintao wrapped up a visit to the Americas' only communist country - stipulates that the TVs will carry the Atec-Haier brand name.

During his visit, Hu signed 16 major cooperation agreements with his Cuban counterpart, Fidel Castro.
Cuba and China, along with Vietnam, Laos and North Korea, are the world's only remaining communist-ruled countries.

But China has gone far in embracing western-style capitalism, while Cuba has grudgingly made small market-oriented reforms, only to reverse many of them.

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