Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attended the China-Spain Business Innovation Meeting along with Chinese Commerce Minster Wang Wentao in Beijing on Wednesday, the last day of his five-day visit to China.
The conference brought together over 100 representatives from Chinese and Spanish businesses. Participants shared cooperation experience and held discussions on technology research and development as well as investment cooperation.
"It's a very good opportunity for us to cooperate and to strengthen our cooperation with Chinese companies. I'm from Gestamp, an automotive supply company from Spain, based in China for the past 17 years. So, we have a long story doing business in China. We have a very good relationship with China," said Antonio Lopez Arce, CEO of the Asian division of Gestamp, a Spanish multinational specializing in the design, development and manufacturing of highly engineered metal components.
"I feel very well, very excited about the outcome of this meeting. This helps a lot, a lot to Spanish companies that we are doing business here in China," said Tomas Daga, a director at Grifols, a global healthcare company headquartered in Spain.
"I think this event can greatly promote the cooperation between Chinese and Spanish enterprises, and is also a very good experience. I hope that through this event, greater contribution can be made from the perspective of enterprises in China-Spain relations," said Simon Du, director of International Government Affairs at Xiaomi Corporation.
At the meeting, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said the cooperation between China and Spain has expanded to high value-added fields such as mechanical equipment and electric vehicles, adding that the two-way investment also remained at a stable level. Sanchez encouraged companies from both sides to enhance communication, while exploring potential for future development.
"Well, I think that it's a very good that the prime minister of our country is visiting China. I think Spain is taking the relationship with China very seriously, promoting the bi-directional business relationships," said Alexandre Catala Garcia, senior director of Global Affairs at China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC).
The Spanish prime minister's official visit came at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang. This was Sanchez's fourth trip to China in four years, and also the latest in a series of visits to China by European leaders since the beginning of this year.
A day earlier, Sanchez spoke highly of the outcomes of his visit to China, adding that a broad set of cooperation agreements have been signed in Beijing across key areas, including the economy, education and culture.
Spanish PM attends China-Spain Business Innovation Meeting
