At a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Chinese President Xi Jinping said he was enjoying his first visit to Spain following his re-election as President. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, these have developed healthy and stable and withstood the changes in the international landscape. The friendship is stronger than ever.
Xi praised Sanchez’s ambition to develop bilateral relations and support the Silk Road Initiative. China has always maintained a traditional friendship with Spain and he appreciates the important role of the country in international affairs.
China is ready to work with Spain to enrich the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and to raise the level of cooperation in various fields, Xi assured. In this way, the various civilizations should be given an example, to communicate with each other, to learn from each other and to offer the different systems a win-win cooperation.
Cooperation between governments and corporations should be strengthened, mutual trust deepened and understanding of each other’s core interests and concerns should be promoted to further the steady development of relations.
„China-Spain cooperation under the Silk Road Initiative has several strategic advantages,“ Xi said, calling for greater synergies between the initiative and Spain’s „Strategic Vision for Spain in Asia“ and the „Mediterranean Corridor,“ especially in the Economic and Economic Area Trade contacts, as well as more cooperation in areas such as ports, shipping, aviation, vehicles with new energy and finance.
Xi called on both sides to enhance cooperation on technology and innovation and human-to-human, cultural, regional, tourism, journalism, medical care, cultural heritage and sports exchanges to strengthen.
First Chinese state visit for 13 years
China is ready to maintain communication and coordination with Spain to improve international governance, as well as tackle climate change and other global and regional issues, Xi added.
Sanchez said Xi ’s visit is of great historical significance and will usher in a new era in relations between Spain and China, the first visit by a Chinese head of state in Spain in 13 years and the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two coincide with both countries.
Mr Sanchez welcomed the satisfactory development of bilateral relations and said that Spain and China had become important trading partners whose cultural and educational exchanges are becoming ever closer. The Chinese in Spain also made positive contributions to the country’s development and friendship between the two countries. Spain will actively participate in the establishment of the Silk Road Initiative, said the Prime Minister.
Spain strongly supports multilateralism and takes similar positions in international affairs as China. Sanchez expressed the desire for closer communication and coordination with China to promote the healthy and stable development of Sino-European relations.
Madrid’s mayor Mauela Carmena presented Xi with the city’s golden key at a solemn ceremony. Carmena said that Madrid’s citizens loved the Chinese Spring Festival and recognized the close ties between Madrid and China. She looks forward to the closer cooperation of the Spanish capital with China. The city twinning between Madrid and Beijing dates back to 1985 and has given strength to the cooperation, said Xi. He will continue the close friendship between China and Spain and hope that the doors of mutual exchange will open even further.
