Xi urges Spanish enterprises to make best use of CIIE platform

MADRID - Visiting President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged Spanish enterprises to make best use of the public platform of China International Import Expo (CIIE) to win more business opportunities and promote China-Spain economic and trade ties to a new height.

When meeting representatives from the China-Spain Business Advisory Council together with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Xi extended his congratulations to the establishment of the business advisory council and its first meeting on Tuesday.

The Chinese president called the business advisory council an important platform of deepening bilateral economic and trade ties and a new cooperation mode of combining strong ones and complementing each other's advantages.

He said building strong synergy between the two countries' strategies and realizing complementary advantages will help promote connectivity between Asia and Europe and push the global economy to develop in a more open, inclusive and balanced way.

He said he believes that with the joint efforts of entrepreneurs and business communities from the two countries, the mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation in the new era will open a new chapter and bring more benefits to the two countries and their peoples.

For his part, Sanchez said at a time full of changes, Spain pays more and more attention to Asia, especially China which attaches importance to its opening-up to the world.

Noting that China has become an important trade partner and one of Spain's main export destination, Sanchez said his government supports the country's economic, trade and investment cooperation with China, and supports the two countries' business communities in strengthening links.

Also on Wednesday, Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan, visited the Teatro Real (Royal Theater) in downtown Madrid, accompanied by Queen Letizia of Spain.

Peng called for more art exchanges between the two nations and stronger friendship between the two peoples.

Xi arrived here Tuesday for the first visit by a Chinese head of state to the European country in 13 years.

Spain is the first stop of Xi's ongoing Europe and Latin America tour, which will also take him to Argentina, Panama and Portugal.

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, Xi will also attend the 13th Group of 20 summit.