A Chinese community in Madrid has become a witness to the growing ties between China and Spain.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is on a five-day official visit to China from Saturday to Wednesday. This visit marks Sanchez's fourth visit to China in a four-year period, and it 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.
The Usera neighborhood in southern Madrid is the heart of the Chinese community - a living example of peaceful and prosperous coexistence and cooperation, which also proves the relations between the two nations continue to develop in a deeper level.
"More than 40,000 Chinese people live in this neighborhood that has a unique and different identity where two cultures coexist peacefully and that represents what Madrid is all about - an open and welcoming city," said Almudena Maillo, Councilor for Tourism of Madrid Town Hall.
A giant 15-by-20-meter dragon is part of a new 12-million-U.S. dollar investment into the neighborhood, a spectacular stop on a 1,700-meter pedestrian route that features Chinese characters and Confucian phrases on the street, with 290 new trees and 11,000 plants, a brand new 500kg marble panda, and an iconic paifang, or gateway, reminiscent of the ones at the London and New York Chinatowns.
The project received EU funding and won an award for its urban transformation from Catedra China in February, a Spanish organization set up to bolster Spain-China ties.
"It's beautiful, really original. It just looks great, brightens up the place," said a local resident.
China's ambassador to Spain sees China-Spain relations at an all-time high.
"This is the best time as far as the relations between China and Spain are concerned. So I think that we are lucky to have a partner like Spain in Europe. We hope that the partners like Spain in Europe could be also increasing in the future time," said Yao Jing, Chinese Ambassador to Spain.
Chinese community in Madrid witnesses closer China-Spain ties
As Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is paying an official visit to China from April 11 to 15, his fourth visit in four years, local residents in the Spanish capital city Madrid said that shared cultural diversity brings the two countries together.
The visit 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. And it is widely viewed as a key moment to consolidate bilateral relations and strengthen communication between China and Europe.
A barman named Diego said that traveling between countries has become much easier, bringing people from China and Spain closer together.
"What are some of the similarities? Well, from my perspective, traveling and getting from one place to another has become much easier in recent years. There has also been a lot of integration. So, there are many people from China here in Spain, and vice versa. It's becoming more common to see foreigners here in Spain, not just from China but from other places as well. So, it's true that people from China have adapted very well. Although I haven't been to China, I imagine it's the same for Spaniards living in China. And there will be a certain cultural and personal bond," said Diego.
A student named Camilo said that despite differences in size and geography, both China and Spain share a defining trait -- diversity -- which helps bring the two countries closer together.
"There are quite a few differences, but I certainly believe the two countries have many things in common. I think China is a very large country that has a diverse culture. Although Spain is a relatively small country, I think we are also very diverse. Here, if you walk just a few kilometers, you will find people who speak a different language and have different customs. I think that is something that can be found in both countries, and there are undeniable similarities as well," said Camilo.
Shared cultural diversity brings China and Spain closer: residents
Shared cultural diversity brings China and Spain closer: residents
