Cuban and Chinese publishing houses on Monday signed a new cooperation agreement on publishing poetry books.

The agreement made between Coleccion Sur Editorial and Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House pledged to publish six Chinese poetry books in Cuba and three Cuban ones in China.

It followed an initial agreement signed by both publishing houses in February 2018.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the first Havana Poetry Biennial kicking off on Monday, which has attracted poets from almost 30 countries.

Participants believed such agreement will advance cultural exchanges between Cuba and China.

"We hope to promote the mutual translation of poetry works to increase literary and cultural exchanges," Yu Kuichao, deputy editor in chief of Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House, told Xinhua.

"Poetry ... is the most direct and easy way to exchange and establish a cultural dialogue between different people and civilizations," Yu said.

"Culture must be inclusive and communicative. We came to Cuba with the mission of strengthening the cultural exchanges between both nations as now the world is a global village," said Wang Weihong, vice president of Phoenix Publishing and Media Group.

The cooperation deal will promote bilateral cultural exchanges, said Alex Pausides, director of Coleccion Sur Editorial and vice president of the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba.

"With Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House we have moved to a new stage of collaboration that will open the way for other Cuban poets to be known to millions of Chinese readers," he said.