Chinese President Xi Jinping met with visiting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing on Monday, calling for joint efforts to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level.
Xi asked Sanchez to convey his greetings to King Felipe VI. He pointed out that China and Spain celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties last year, and that the two sides have since maintained close exchanges and interactions at all levels and promoted high-quality cooperation in new areas.
Noting that next year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi said the two sides should adhere to the original intention of establishing diplomatic ties based on mutual respect and equal treatment, take a holistic and long-term view, and add new dimensions to bilateral ties.
Xi also called on the two sides to build long-term and stable China-Spain relations with strategic determination, and push bilateral relations to a higher level.
Xi stressed that China will persist in advancing reform and opening up, which is a correct development path that China has found through long-term practice.
Xi called for joint efforts to promote development in high-tech areas like artificial intelligence, digital economy and new energy, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
Xi said he hopes that Spain will continue to provide a fair, equitable, safe and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in the country.
The two sides should adhere to inclusiveness and mutual learning, strengthen people-to-people exchanges in language teaching, youth, culture and tourism, and promote friendship between their people, Xi said.
Xi said China appreciates Spain's active promotion of China-EU exchanges and cooperation during its EU rotating presidency in the second half of last year.
Noting that next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the EU, Xi said China is ready to work with the EU to review the successful experience in the development of bilateral relations and promote steady development of China-EU relations in the direction of independence, mutual support, and benefit for the world.
Xi said China is ready to work with Spain to expand third-party market cooperation oriented toward the Global South, and strengthen communication and cooperation in the United Nations, the Group of Twenty (G20) and other international organizations, so as to inject more positive energy into world peace, stability and human progress.
For his part, Sanchez conveyed King Felipe VI's sincere regards to Xi, saying that he was pleased to visit China again after one year.
Spain and China enjoy time-honored friendship and develop and deepen their partnership based on mutual respect, he said.
Sanchez said that during this visit, the two sides signed a number of cooperation agreements in green development and other fields, demonstrating the huge potential and bright prospect of bilateral cooperation.
He said he hopes that the two sides will strengthen people-to-people exchanges and deepen cooperation in such fields as economy, trade and new energy vehicles, adding that Spain is willing to provide a good environment for Chinese enterprises.
Sanchez emphasized international cooperation in addressing challenges like turbulence, conflict, poverty and climate change.
Noting that Spain views its relations with China from a strategic perspective and firmly adheres to the one-China principle, Sanchez said the country is willing to be China's trustworthy partner, and looks forward to further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership with China to make greater contributions to the well-being of the people of the two countries and world peace and prosperity.
Spain supports free trade and open markets, does not agree to a trade war, and is willing to continue to play a positive role in promoting the sound development of EU-China relations, he said.
The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Xi calls for joint efforts to push China-Spain relations to higher level
