MADRID, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming visit of top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo to Spain will deepen the Sino-Spanish comprehensive strategic partnership, the Chinese ambassador to Spain said.
Zhu Bangzao told Xinhua in a recent interview that the official visit of Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, will inject new vitality into bilateral cooperation in such fields as politics, culture, economy and trade.
The visit, which will take place on May 23-28, shows the good will of both China and Spain to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership established in 2005 and to promote exchanges and cooperation in all areas to a new stage, Zhu added.
Wu will meet Spanish leaders such as President of the Congress Jesus Posada, King Juan Carlos, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and President of the Senate Pio Garcia-Escudero to exchange views on promoting bilateral ties.
China and Spain have maintained continual high-level exchanges in recent years, Zhu said. Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang visited Spain in 2011, while Spanish Minister of Economy and Competitiveness Luis de Guindos visited China this March.
Outside the European Union (EU), China is Spain's largest trade partner, while the latter is China's very important trade partner within the EU, the ambassador noted.
The two-way trade volume reached 27.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2011, up 11.7 percent from 2010, Zhu said, adding the two countries signed in the same year 15 government agreements and economic and commercial contracts worth 7.5 billion dollars in total.
As one of the most dynamic parts of bilateral ties, culture exchanges have become one of the three pillars in China-Spain relations, along with political and economic cooperation, the ambassador said.
In 2007, China and Spain held the culture year respectively in each other's country, and in 2010 China held the Chinese language Year in Spain.
Zhu said the Chinese Culture Center in Madrid, which is scheduled to open this year, will organize a variety of events to let more and more Spanish citizens learn about China.
"As the year 2013 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Spain, We will take advantage of this important opportunity to increase cultural exchanges and cooperation to augment the foundation for the furthered comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations," Zhu said.
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