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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Beijing, November 12 (Xinhua) — China is ready to work with Spain to build a comprehensive strategic partnership with greater strategic decisiveness, greater development momentum, and greater international influence, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday.
Xi Jinping made the announcement during a meeting in Beijing with King Felipe VI of Spain, who is in China on a state visit. This is King Felipe VI's first state visit to China since his accession to the throne and the first visit by a Spanish monarch to China in 18 years.
Following the meeting, the two heads of state jointly attended the signing of 10 documents on cooperation in trade, economic, scientific, technical, and educational spheres.
As Felix Valdivieso, director of the China Observatory at Spain's IE University, noted, following three visits by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to China in three years, King Felipe VI's current visit brings the weight of royal diplomacy to Spanish-Chinese relations.
According to F. Valdivieso, Spain is moving towards a more long-term, stable and strategically forward-looking policy towards the world's second-largest economy, which will have a positive impact on Spanish business and, as a result, will increase the competitiveness and innovative dynamics of the Spanish economy.
A VISIT OF UTTER SIGNIFICANCE
Welcoming the arrival of King Felipe VI in China, Xi Jinping noted that both China and Spain share a profound historical and cultural heritage. He stated that, over the more than 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have consistently viewed and developed bilateral ties from a strategic perspective, respecting and supporting each other, and fostering mutual success.
This sets a model of friendly coexistence and the pursuit of common development among countries with different histories, cultures, and social systems, and plays an important role in promoting global openness and cooperation, as well as in protecting international fairness and justice, the Chinese President stated.
Noting the outstanding contributions of the Spanish royal family to the development of China-Spain relations, Xi Jinping pointed out that the state visit of King Felipe VI to China in the year of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership is of great significance to promoting the continuous development of friendly cooperation between the two countries.
King Felipe VI, for his part, expressed his great pleasure at paying a state visit to China in the 20th anniversary of the Spanish-Chinese comprehensive strategic partnership, adding that Spain and China have long-standing friendly exchanges. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have consistently demonstrated trust and respect for each other, working towards joint development and prosperity, he noted.
According to the monarch, China has achieved widely recognized and admirable successes in its development, and its successful experience, especially in combating poverty and promoting green, low-carbon development, is worth studying.
Felipe VI assured that the Spanish Government is firmly committed to the one-China policy, supports China in defending its territorial integrity, and is ready to work with China to promote the continuous development of the Spanish-Chinese comprehensive strategic partnership in order to bring greater benefits to the peoples of the two countries and make an even greater contribution to peace and stability throughout the world.
STRENGTHENING PRACTICAL COOPERATION
Stressing that China values its traditional friendship with Spain and its unique role in international and regional affairs, Xi Jinping said the two sides should further strengthen mutual support, maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges, strengthen strategic guidance, and ensure that bilateral relations remain on the right track.
The Chinese leader called on the two sides to further advance practical cooperation and indicated that China is ready to import more high-quality Spanish products, unlock the potential for cooperation in emerging sectors such as new energy, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence, expand mutual investment, and implement new landmark projects.
According to him, the parties could also use the complementarity of their advantages and jointly develop third-party markets, in particular the Latin American market.
Xi Jinping emphasized the need for both sides to strengthen people-to-people ties, expand cultural and educational exchanges, and provide mutual support for the operation of each other's cultural and linguistic institutions. He promised that China would continue to extend the visa-free regime for Spanish citizens to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and bring their peoples closer together.
Felipe VI noted that investments by Chinese companies provide a powerful impetus to Spain's economic growth and green transformation. Spain is eager to maintain close exchanges with China, take advantage of the important opportunities offered by China's 15th Five-Year Development Plan, and strengthen cooperation in areas such as economics, trade, industry, science, technology, and green energy.
The Spanish monarch praised China's visa-free policy and expressed his willingness to strengthen cultural, linguistic, and tourism exchanges to strengthen friendship between peoples.
DEFENDING MULTILATERALISM
Recalling that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN, Xi Jinping pointed out that at present, as the world enters a new turbulent period of fundamental changes, achieving peace and development remains a difficult task.
“I put forward the idea of building a community with a shared future for humanity in the hope that countries can overcome differences in social systems and ideological disagreements, reach consensus through dialogue and consultation, and jointly realize the aspirations of people around the world for a better life,” the Chinese president said.
He noted that China is ready to work with Spain to support the UN's key role in international affairs, protect free trade rules and the international trade and economic order, and build a more just and reasonable system of global governance, contributing to the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Pointing out that history can only move forward and does not allow for a return to the past, King Felipe VI stated that Spain and China have very similar views on many international issues, support multilateralism and the settlement of disputes through dialogue and consultation.
Spain highly values the four major global initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping and intends to work with China to address the uncertainties of the international environment to safeguard the international trade order and promote sustainable development of the global economy, the King added. –0–
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