Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing, capital of China, March 31, 2023. [Xinhua/Rao Aimin]

BEIJING, March 31 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing on Friday.

Xi asked Sanchez to convey his best regards to King Felipe VI of Spain. Xi said that over the past half century, China and Spain have adhered to the principles of mutual respect, exchange and dialogue, actively carried out mutually beneficial cooperation, and established and developed a comprehensive strategic partnership.

"China is committed to promoting Chinese modernization in a comprehensive way through high-quality development, which will provide other countries, including Spain, with a broader market and more cooperation opportunities," Xi said.

He said China is ready to work with Spain to use the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as a new starting point to deepen and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

The two sides should plan bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, adhere to the fundamentals of mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Spain, and support each other on issues concerning core interests, such as sovereignty, security and development, Xi said. The two countries should follow the general direction of friendship, mutual trust and cooperation in developing bilateral relations, he added.

Calling on the two sides to synergize development strategies and tap into cooperation potential, Xi said China is willing to import more quality Spanish goods and hopes that Spain will provide a fair and just business environment for Chinese companies.

Noting that China and Spain are both countries with ancient civilizations and great cultures of global influence, Xi said the two sides should ensure the success of the China-Spain year of culture and tourism, promote dialogue and exchanges among world civilizations, and make positive contributions to handling the common challenges of humanity.

"The sound development of China-European Union relations requires the EU to uphold strategic independence," Xi said, adding that both sides should be partners on the road to modernization and good friends that address global challenges together.

Xi said China is ready to carry out comprehensive dialogue and cooperation with the EU in the spirit of independence, mutual respect, mutual benefit, and seeking common ground while shelving differences.

He expressed the hope that Spain would play a positive role in promoting dialogue and cooperation between China and the EU.

Sanchez conveyed cordial greetings from King Felipe VI to Xi.

As the world is full of uncertainties, it is only through cooperation that countries can meet various challenges more effectively and promote world peace and global development, Sanchez said.

He said Spain is willing to maintain candid communication and dialogue with China, constantly enhance mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, especially in areas such as electric vehicles, green energy and digital economy, strengthen communication and coordination on international and regional issues such as climate change, and jointly promote the further development of bilateral relations.

Spain will take over the rotating presidency of the EU in the second half of this year, and will commit itself to promoting dialogue and cooperation between the EU and China, Sanchez said.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis.

Xi stressed that China's position is consistent and clear, which is promoting peace talks and political settlement. He said the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation should be abandoned, and extreme sanctions and pressure should be done away with. He expressed the hope that relevant parties would build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture through dialogue and consultation.

Sanchez said that Spain speaks positively of the document on China's position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, and appreciates China's constructive role in the political settlement of the crisis. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing, capital of China, March 31, 2023. [Xinhua/Ding Haitao]

(Source: Xinhua)