Nation seeks to cement friendship with Spain

Xi hopes to uplift bilateral relations, enhance mutual trust through visit

President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday he hopes to cement the friendship between China and Spain and uplift bilateral cooperation through his visit to the country.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Spanish King Felipe VI at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid.

This marks Xi's first state visit to Europe since he was re-elected president in March. It comes on the first leg of his nine-day European and Latin American trip, which will also bring him to Argentina, Panama and Portugal. He will also attend the G20 Summit in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, later this week.

China and Spain established a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2005, and Xi said the two countries have since then been improving bilateral ties, strengthening political mutual trust, expanding cooperation and increasing people-to-people exchanges.

Xi said Sino-Spanish ties are at the best period in their history, and he is fully confident in the future of the bilateral relationship.

Xi stressed that China stands ready to work with Spain to support one another on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns.

The two sides should boost cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, tourism and third-party markets within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative so as to bring the Sino-Spanish comprehensive strategic partnership to a new high in the new era and better benefit the two peoples, he said.

China would like to see Europe continue advancing the integration process and hopes that Spain will keep playing a positive role in promoting the development of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, he added.

King Felipe said this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, as well as the 40th anniversary of the first visit to China by Spanish King Juan Carlos I.

Spain values the friendly exchanges and cooperation with China, he said.

Spain is willing to maintain close contacts with China, enhance pragmatic cooperation, strengthen communication and coordination in multilateral affairs and push for deeper EU-China relations, the king added.

CHINA DAILY - XINHUA