Spain PM calls to strengthen cooperation with China

There are many opportunities for both China and Spain, and the two countries "should be brave enough to seize them," said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Sanchez, on an official visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday, made these remarks at the opening ceremony of the 9th China-Spain Forum held in Beijing on Monday morning.

In his speech, the Spanish leader invited various parties to strengthen cooperation and promote mutual understanding between the two countries through this high-end forum.

He added that Spain and China have close exchanges and last year the two countries jointly celebrated the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, and Spain will further strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various aspects, he said.

"Although we still have differences on some issues between the two sides, there is a shared willingness to engage in further dialogue and consultation. We are committed to working together to find agreed solutions based on mutual benefits and win-win situations," he said.

Speaking about the exchange of visits between the two countries, he thanked China for granting Spanish citizens visa exemptions.

"Our aim and vision is also to have more Chinese citizens visit our country," he said.

He noted that tourism between the two countries has fully recovered in the first half of this year and will exceed projected levels by the end of the year.