Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday stressed the need for China and Spain to strengthen cooperation in fields including trade, new energy and the intelligent economy, and to encourage exchanges in culture, education, scientific research and sports.
Xi made the remarks when meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is on an official visit to China.
Noting that China and Spain should seize opportunities and pursue innovation-driven development, Xi told Sanchez that the two countries should promote their comprehensive strategic partnership to yield more results and bring more benefits to their people.
Xi noted that despite a shifting and turbulent international landscape, China and Spain have maintained a steady relationship, forging ties with strategic determination, and that an important lesson learned is the importance of making correct decisions based on common interests.
Facts have proved that deepening cooperation is in the interests of the two peoples, conforms to the overarching trend of the times and enhances the strength and confidence of both sides in following a path of independence and self-reliance, Xi said.
He urged China and Spain to place the development of bilateral relations in an important position in their respective foreign policies and support each other’s efforts to defend sovereignty and territorial integrity.
« China is firmly resolved to advance Chinese modernization and has a broad vision to share development opportunities with the world through high-standard opening up, » Xi said, adding that China will inject confidence and momentum into global economic growth through its own development.
Noting that the world today is in turmoil and confronted with the contest between the rule of law and the rule of power, Xi called on both China and Spain, as countries of principle and moral integrity, to enhance communication, consolidate mutual trust and strengthen cooperation to oppose the world’s regression to the « law of the jungle » and jointly uphold true multilateralism.
He emphasized that both countries should safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
For his part, Sanchez noted that his four visits to China in four years demonstrate the high importance both sides attach to Spain-China relations, adding that Spain firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and hopes to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, new energy, and other sectors, as well as to enhance people-to-people exchanges.
He also stressed the need to adhere to multilateralism amid the challenging international situation, saying Spain actively supports the four major Global Initiatives proposed by President Xi and opposes a new Cold War and attempts to decouple and sever supply chains.
Sanchez added that Spain supports enhanced communication, understanding and cooperation between Europe and China, saying that the sound development of EU-China relations serves the common interests of both sides and contributes to world peace and stability.
