Renowned think tank urges another boost to strong high-level relations

Spain’s renowned think thank, the Real Instituto Elcano, published a report on the country’s relations with China in Beijing on Nov 14 — urging both sides to take concrete steps to deepen trade and other partnership activities on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Mario Esteban, an analyst at the institute and coordinator of the Elcano Report on Spain-China Relations in 2018 said the two countries should make their trade more balanced and the potential of bilateral cooperation should be more deeply stimulated, adding that the report offers 25 specific recommendations on areas for improvement.

Revealing the report’s findings at the Cervantes Institute in Beijing, Esteban said that Spanish-Chinese relations have developed greatly over the decades, but an imbalance also exists, especially in terms of trade. To bridge this gap, Spain should make more efforts to play a more important role in influencing the European Union’s policy on China, he said.

Esteban mentioned that the success of the Shanghai Import Expo represents China’s hopes to have equal economic and trade relations with the outside world, and Spain also attaches great importance to cooperating for common development.

“It is hoped that both China and Spain can continue to deepen cooperation in multilateral relations,” the analyst added.

Since 1973, China-Spain relations have achieved rapid development through their becoming good friends and partners, he said. Both sides have experienced tremendous progress in various fields, and these changes have significantly strengthened bilateral relations and cooperation between them.

Esteban said

The cargo train service from Yiwu, Zhejiang province to Madrid, Spain, which started in 2014, has played an important role in boosting Sino-Spanish trade.

it is expected that Chinese and Spanish leaders would stage frequent high-level exchanges to deepen that relationship. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation, Josep Borrell Fontelles, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September.

Wang said the two sides should take the important high-level exchanges this year as an opportunity to sum up the development experiences of bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 45 years ago, in a bid to jointly plan a new future for bilateral relations.

“The Chinese side appreciates Spain’s objective, fair and positive view on China’s development and appreciates Spain’s support for the Belt and Road Initiative,” Wang said.

Fontelles said that Spain’s foreign policy regards strengthening Spain-China relations as the priority. Spain not only values China’s current international status, but also is more optimistic about China’s future development, he said.

“This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Spain looks forward to the visit of Chinese leaders and will take this opportunity to further explore cooperation potential between the two countries,” said Borrell.

“Spain attaches great importance to the important role of co-building the Belt and Road Initiative in promoting common development and is willing to actively participate in it.”

At the Real Instituto Elcano report launch, Rafael Dezcallar, Ambassador of Spain to China, spoke highly of the bilateral relationship and expressed his confidence in the great potential for further cooperation.

“The two countries have had a constant and good relationship. Even during hard times, we kept up high-level dialogue and effective communications,” Dezcallar said.

The envoy added that this year is also the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up. “What China has done these past 40 years has been very impressive. There’s no need for China to have any adviser, as China knows what is good for itself,” he said.

“We will be very happy to cooperate with China on various projects in the next stage of the opening-up.”