Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, April 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met in Beijing on Friday, pledging to build stronger ties and calling for safeguarding the international trade order.

MUTUAL SUPPORT, TRUST, RESPECT

China stands ready to work with Spain to build a more strategically resilient and dynamic comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi told Sanchez.

Noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Spain, Xi said China will work with Spain to enhance the well-being of the two peoples, inject impetus into China-EU relations, and make greater contributions to promoting world peace, stability and development.

He called on the two sides to continue to consolidate the political foundation of mutual support, trust and respect each other, and support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns, especially in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Xi said China's consumption upgrade for 1.4 billion people and industrial transformation potential will provide strong momentum for the world economy, adding that China is willing to make good use of the mutually beneficial and complementary cooperation advantages with Spain, give full play to the roles of economic, trade, and sci-tech cooperation mechanisms, and tap the potential of cooperation in new energy, high-tech manufacturing, smart cities and other fields, so as to achieve more mutually beneficial cooperation outcomes.

The two countries should continue their traditional friendship, and expand student exchanges to engage more young people in carrying forward the friendship, he added.

Noting that both China and Spain are positive forces supporting multilateralism, openness and cooperation, Xi said the two countries should promote the building of a fair and equitable global governance system, safeguard world peace and security, and promote common development and prosperity.

Sanchez said that over the past 20 years since establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership, Spain and China have maintained mutual respect and friendly cooperation, and bilateral relations have developed steadily.

Spain attaches great importance to its relations with China, unswervingly adheres to the one-China policy, and is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with China and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanges in various fields to push bilateral relations to a new level, Sanchez said.

Xi said China always views the EU as a vital pole in a multipolar world and explicitly supports the EU's unity, development and growth, calling on both sides to adhere to partnership, openness and cooperation.

China is ready to work with the EU to jointly celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and advance the China-EU relationship toward strategic stability and mutual success to better benefit the two peoples and the international community, Xi said.

Noting that China is an important partner of the EU, Sanchez said Spain always supports the stable development of EU-China relations.

NO WINNER IN TARIFF WAR

"There is no winner in a tariff war, and going against the world will only result in self-isolation," Xi said.

Xi said China's development over the past seven decades is a result of self-reliance and hard work, not favors from others. China does not flinch from any unjust suppression.

He added that no matter how the external world changes, China will remain confident and focused on running its own affairs well.

Noting that China and the EU are both major economies in the world and firm supporters of economic globalization and free trade, Xi said the two sides have formed a close relationship of economic symbiosis, with their combined economic output exceeding one-third of the world's total.

He called on China and the EU to fulfill their international responsibilities, work together to safeguard economic globalization and the international trade environment, and jointly reject unilateral and bullying actions.

By doing so, they will not only safeguard their own legitimate rights and interests, but also help maintain fairness and justice within the international community and uphold international rules and order, Xi said.

Noting the EU is committed to open and free trade, upholds multilateralism and opposes unilateral tariff hikes, Sanchez said there is no winner in a trade war.

Facing the complex and challenging international situation, Spain and the EU are willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to maintain the international trade order, cope with challenges including climate change and poverty, and safeguard the common interests of the international community, he said.

The two sides also exchanged views over the Ukraine crisis.