China and Spain inked a dozen agreements on Thursday cementing their cooperation in the justice, industry, tourism, finance, seismological study, railway and civil aviation sectors.

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Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who arrived in Beijing on Thursday on a three-day official visit, and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao witnessed the signing of the agreements following their hour-long meeting.

 

The two sides will strengthen political dialogue through a mechanism between foreign ministries of the two countries, according to one of the agreements.

 

Among other items agreed on, each will also establish a cultural center in the other's country; China will buy 20 Airbus A330 jetliners.

 

Premier Wen also pledged that China would increase imports from Spain.

 

China-Spain trade was valued at US$7.2 billion last year, up 38 percent from a year ago. Total trade volume for the first five months of the year was US$4 billion, up 48 percent from the same period last year.

 

In addition, Wen highly appreciated the Spanish government's adherence to one-China policy and its stance to oppose "Taiwan independence".

 

For his part, Zapatero stressed that Spain wants to be a friend of China, and that it supports China's economic development and national reunification.

 

Zapatero added that Spain hopes to increase consultations with China on major regional and international issues, and upgrade the level of economic cooperation, and that Spain would help promote the development of the EU-China relationship.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2005)