HAVANA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Cuban leader Raul Castro and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang met Wednesday and agreed to boost economic ties between their countries.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations and exchanged views on issues of common concern, according to a government communique.

The two countries signed an agreement on cooperation in animal health and two memoranda on information and telecommunications.

On Thursday morning, Quang will participate in a Vietnam-Cuba business forum, during which the two countries will seek to deepen ties in agriculture, tourism, trade and construction.

Earlier on Wednesday, Quang met with Esteban Lazo, the parliament leader, and Ricardo Cabrisas, vice president and minister of economy and planning.

Quang and Cabrisas took stock of the achievements of economic and trade collaboration, and outlined new investment issues to be negotiated at the next intergovernmental commission in Havana.

Vietnam is Cuba's second-largest trading partner in Asia and the main rice supplier, with a trade flow of 200 million U.S. dollars in 2015.

Quang, who arrived in Cuba on Tuesday for an official visit, will travel on to Peru to participate in the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' meeting in Lima. He met former Cuban leader Fidel Castro hours after his arrival.