Spain's Queen Letizia, who is accompanying King Felipe VI on his state visit to China, visited Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) Thursday as part of her efforts to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
At the University, Queen Letizia met with students majoring in the Spanish language.
"I believe Her Majesty Queen Letizia's visit to Beijing Foreign Studies University shows not only her trust in our school, but also her strong support for the cause of education in China and Spain. Our university is China's first school to establish Spanish language education in 1952 under the guidance of the late Premier Zhou Enlai," said Jia Wenjian, president of the BFSU.
The current visit is the Spanish royal family's first state visit to China since King Felipe VI's enthronement, and the first by a Spanish monarch in 18 years. President Xi Jinping met with King Felipe VI in Beijing on Wednesday, with both sides pledging to strengthen cooperation in trade, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
"[For] the importance of the queen, being the representative of our country, coming here, I think it's quite important for the meaning of having this long time relationship between both [the two] countries, and to establish some cultural bridges for our future," said Gabriel Gonzalez Rodriguez, a master's student from Spain studying at the BFSU.
"This place is the first place that held [Spanish] language classes in China. So it's an honor for us to keep that legacy alive. Greeting the queen is not just a unique event, but also a way of keeping that bond between China and Europe alive," said Guestantonio Rodriguez Duran, another master's student.
Cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Spain have deepened in recent years. China now hosts two Cervantes Institutes, while Spain has 10 Confucius Institutes. The Spanish language has been added to China's high-school curriculum, and more than 60,000 students in Spain are studying Chinese.
Spanish queen visits Beijing Foreign Studies University
After the devastating fire at the housing complex Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the central government, Hong Kong authorities, and people from across China have joined forces in a massive outpouring of relief and support.
The blaze, the deadliest Hong Kong had witnessed for decades, broke out at around 14:50 on Nov 26 at the eight-towered residential estate Wang Fuk Court, which was under renovation, in Tai Po district. The fire quickly engulfed seven of the towers, leaving at least 159 dead, 79 injured and thousands of families homeless.
According to the latest official update, the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, established by the HKSAR government, has received 3 billion Hong Kong dollars in external donations. Together with the HKSAR government's start-up capital of 300 million Hong Kong dollars, the fund stands at around 3.3 billion Hong Kong dollars in total. It will be used to help residents rebuild their homes and provide long-term support.
Following the fire, the HKSAR government has made comprehensive, multi-tiered rescue and resettlement efforts.
On the night of the blaze, the government promptly established temporary shelters at multiple locations across Tai Po district, coordinating accommodations in youth hostels, hotels, and transitional housing for affected residents. Emergency subsidies and living allowances were distributed to those impacted, while support was also provided through a "one household, one social worker" mechanism.
People from across Hong Kong have joined volunteer efforts, hoping to bring warmth to the wounded community, with donated supplies such as clothing, food, drinking water continuously arriving at temporary shelters.
Many taxi drivers have also volunteered to provide free rides.
"We work here from 08:00 in the morning to past 22:00 at night. We only leave when there are no passengers. That's how it is. It does affect earnings a bit. It definitely has an impact. But that's not important. The most important thing is to help others first," said Wong Chi-chuen, a taxi driver .
At the request of the HKSAR government, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council has coordinated the Ministry of Emergency Management to provide batches of supplies for the Tai Po fire relief effort, including portable outdoor charging stations, heavy-duty conveyors, blowers, respirators, goggles, protective suits, headlamps, and waterproof boots.
Mainland companies and residents, and various sectors in Macao also provided support following the devastating fire in Hong Kong, donating funds and supplies for emergency relief and post-disaster recovery.
"A large amount of supplies was collected and delivered to our disaster-stricken areas in a very short time. It made me realize what it means to be bound by blood. Because this kind of bond runs deep. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone," said Peter Lam, chairman of Tai Po Rural Committee.
Support from across China pours in after devastating fire in Hong Kong
