China to develop comprehensive strategic partnership with greater strategic focus, vitality with Spain: Xi

BEIJING -- China stands ready to build a comprehensive strategic partnership with greater strategic focus and development vitality with Spain, President Xi Jinping said when meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez here on Friday.

Noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Spain, Xi said China will work with Spain to enhance the well-being of the two peoples, inject impetus into China-EU relations, and make greater contributions to promoting world peace, stability and development.

He called on the two sides to continue to consolidate the political foundation of mutual support, trust and respect, and support each other on issues involving their core interests and major concerns, especially in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Xi said the consumption demand and industrial transformation potential of China's more than 1.4 billion people will provide a strong impetus for the world economy, adding that China is willing to make good use of mutually beneficial and complementary cooperation advantages with Spain, give full play to the roles of economic, trade, scientific and technological cooperation mechanisms, and tap the potential of cooperation in new energy, high-tech manufacturing, smart cities and other fields, so as to achieve more mutually beneficial cooperation outcomes.

The two countries should continue the traditional friendship and strengthen understanding between the two peoples, and expand student exchange initiatives, he added.

Noting that both China and Spain are positive forces supporting multilateralism and open cooperation, Xi said the two countries should promote the building of a fair and equitable global governance system, safeguard world peace and security, and promote common development and prosperity.

Sanchez said that over the past 20 years since establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership, Spain and China have consistently maintained mutual respect and friendly cooperation, with bilateral relations continuing to deepen and develop steadily.

Spain attaches great importance to its relations with China, unswervingly adheres to the one-China policy, and is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with China and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanges in various fields to push bilateral relations to a new level, Sanchez said.

Noting that China is an important partner of the EU, he said Spain has always supported the stable development of EU-China relations.