China ready to promote ties with Spain through King Felipe VI's visit: spokesperson

BEIJING, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Through King Felipe VI's visit, China stands ready to work with Spain to score more progress in the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, King Felipe VI of Spain will pay a state visit to China from Nov. 10 to 13.

"This is King Felipe VI's first state visit to China after his enthronement and another visit by a Spanish king to China in 18 years," spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily news briefing, adding that the visit is of great significance.

During the visit of King Felipe VI, President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji will meet with him respectively, and exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest, she said.

Noting that Spain is a major country in the European Union and China's important strategic partner in Europe, Mao said under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, bilateral relations have maintained robust development in recent years.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership, said Mao.

Through King Felipe VI's visit, China stands ready to work with Spain to cement traditional friendship, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, have closer people-to-people and cultural exchanges, strengthen coordination on multilateral affairs, and score more progress in the comprehensive strategic partnership so as to deliver more benefits for the two peoples and inject more stability and positive energy into a turbulent international landscape, Mao added. ■