China's top legislator meets Spanish PM

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Zhao Leji on Monday met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing.

Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that China and Spain are both countries with ancient civilizations and rich cultural heritage. The two sides sincerely promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership is brimming with vitality, he added.

He said China is ready to work with Spain to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and bring more benefits to the two peoples. He said the NPC is willing to enhance friendly exchanges with two houses of the Spanish parliament -- the Senate and the Congress of Deputies -- and to coordinate and cooperate closely on multilateral parliamentary occasions.

Sanchez said that Spain adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to continuously enhance mutual trust with China, strengthen exchanges between legislative institutions, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as the economy, trade, technology and culture. Spain is also ready to promote the further development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Spain and China, as well as the relationship between Europe and China, he added.