China will, taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties, work with Spain to further bilateral friendship and cooperation in various fields, said Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

Jiang made the remarks in Beijing Friday during a meeting with visiting Spanish Queen Sofia who arrived here Thursday afternoon for a five-day visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

Jiang said China has always attached great importance to the development of Sino-Spanish friendship and cooperation, and bilateral ties have evolved smoothly in the past 30 years.

Jiang recalled his visit to Spain in 1996 and praised the Spanish royal family for the contributions to the development of bilateral ties.

Queen Sofia conveyed Spanish King Juan Carlos I's greetings to Jiang who asked the queen to pass on his regards to Carlos in return.

She spoke highly of China's great achievements and voiced her hope that new progress will be made in the development of bilateral ties.

Apart from Beijing, Queen Sofia is scheduled to visit Shanghai, China's commercial center.

Queen Sofia, accompanying Spanish King Juan Carlos I, visited China in 1978 and 1995.

(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2003)