China-Spain tech cooperation strengthens resilience amid global uncertainties: Spanish expert

China-Spain cooperation in the tech sector can serve as a resilience multiplier in an increasingly unstable global economy, said a Spanish expert Thursday, just days ahead of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's scheduled visit to China.

Speaking to China Global Television Network (CGTN), Aureo Diaz-Carrasco, executive director of the Spanish Federation of Technology Centers, said the upcoming visit is very symbolic and important for both countries, as his country is eying long-term cooperation with China.

"I think we need to be a bit more ambitious on this kind of long-term research and development cooperation. We need a predictable joint funding framework. This is the best way to encourage firms to invest in multi-annual, joint initiatives," said the expert.

He emphasized the role of technology in strengthening resilience amid global tensions and supply chain disruptions.

"Knowledge cooperation is one key driver for competitiveness, and this is the most important factor for resilience. If we are able to build technology cooperation on top of confidence, diversification, redundancy, and joint problem solving capabilities, I think that would be the best way to proceed. China and Spain tech cooperation can function as a resilience multiplier in an increasingly unstable global economy, in which technology can help resilience," said Diaz-Carrasco.

"I think we have a good opportunity to improve China-Spain cooperation and reduce these supply chain risks. If we are able to diversify product locations, for instance, producing inside Spain rather than relying on long-distance imports, if we are able to anchor, for instance, cooperation in energy sustainability, and expand into new markets altogether, and of course, if we are able to maintain institutional dialogue to help firms adapt before risks become disruptions, we have an opportunity to reduce supply chain risk. We can deliver tangible economic spillovers with this cooperation," he added.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will pay an official visit to China from April 11 to 15 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

The upcoming visit marks Sanchez's fourth visit to China in a four-year period, and represents another significant high-level exchange between China and Spain in a short period, following the visits by Spanish King Felipe VI and Sanchez last year.

China-Spain tech cooperation strengthens resilience amid global uncertainties: Spanish expert

China-Spain tech cooperation strengthens resilience amid global uncertainties: Spanish expert

China-Spain tech cooperation strengthens resilience amid global uncertainties: Spanish expert

The 139th China Import and Export Fair, commonly known as the Canton Fair, is seeing steady, high-quality growth in buyer attendance with an increasingly diversified global market reach, an official from the China Foreign Trade Center (CFTC) said at a press briefing on Friday.

According to the CFTC, pre-registrations for the upcoming fair have surpassed 210,000, marking a 20 percent year-on-year increase. The new buyers mainly come from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, with rapid increases also seen from regions including Latin America and Africa.

Zhu Yong, director of the China Foreign Trade Center, outlined the key characteristics of the pre-registered buyers and their procurement priorities.

"For the first time, professional buyers account for over 70 percent of total pre-registrations. These buyers have demonstrated robust demand for China's new, green and smart products, with electrical and electronic products, consumer electronics, and power and electrical equipment ranking as the top three categories for pre-registered purchasing intentions," she said.

Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is held every spring and autumn in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. As the longest-running comprehensive international trade event in China, it is widely regarded as a barometer of China's foreign trade. It has been successfully held for 138 sessions and has helped establish trade relations with more than 229 countries and regions around the world.

The upcoming 139th edition is scheduled to take place from April 15 to May 5, 2026.

139th Canton Fair sees rise in buyer quality, market diversity: official