HAVANA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Cuba will continue to expand Internet access despite Washington's new "political program" aimed at carrying out "subversive activities" in the country, the minister of communication said on Monday.

At the inauguration of the 12th International Conference and Fair here, Maimir Mesa highlighted that the Cuban government would "continue to develop the use of information and communication technologies."

"It is ironic that the U.S. government has established a task force with the supposed objective of helping the Cuban people enjoy new technologies," he said.

U.S. State of Department created a Cuba Internet Task Force in January, claiming to examine "technological challenges and opportunities to expand Internet access in Cuba and help the Cuban people enjoy a free and unregulated information flow."

Havana sees the task force as an attempt to violate its sovereignty and seek "political subversion" in the Carribean country.

During the past several years, Cuba has launched a group of programs to improve Internet service and speed up its digital network so as to promote connectivity across the country, the minister said.

Cuba had registered a significant jump in terms of the number of Internet users in 2017, with over 4 million Cubans, or about 40 percent of the population, having access to the Internet, according to official figures.